Clowney says he feels ‘great’ as Texans start OTAs
One day after the Texans’ 30-0 playoff loss to Kansas City, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney cleaned out his locker in a tomb-like dressing room at NRG Stadium.
Before heading for the door, Clowney vowed to return in 2016 and “dominate the league.”
When he met with the media after Monday’s first organized team activity, Clowney wouldn’t make any promises but did pronounce himself fit and ready to make up for time lost to injuries in his first two NFL seasons.
“I feel great,” he said. “After two seasons, I think I just got healthy enough to be where I need to be.”
Clowney said he’s 100 percent recovered from the foot injury he suffered in the 15th game in 2015. No surgery was required. Earlier last season, he was hampered by an ankle injury.
Clowney admitted to suffering bouts of frustration when he was sidelined because of injuries.
“Of course, it’s frustrating,” he said. “It feels like you’re letting the team down when you’re not out there. Injuries happen, (but) you’ve just got to be mentally tough to come back and show the guys you’re ready to play.”
The good news was that he never felt any pain from the microfracture knee surgery he underwent in 2014, his rookie year.
Until Clowney is able to play a full season, injuries will be an issue.
“He’s out there with his teammates working hard, taking good reps, being able to carry the information from the meeting to the walkthrough to the field,” coach Bill O’Brien said Monday.
Last season, defensive end J.J. Watt led the NFL with 17½ sacks. Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus recorded 12 in regular season before adding three more against the Chiefs.
With their 29½ sacks, Watt and Mercilus became the NFL’s most prolific twosome.
Mercilus was asked Monday what it would mean if Clowney could get close to or reach doubledigit sacks?
“It would mean we’re adding more to the arsenal,” Mercilus said. “Clowney’s a talented player, no doubt. We’ve seen his flashes.
“For him to add to the mix, it would be great and allow us to have a chance to win more games.”
No one would like that more than Clowney, who had 40 tackles and 4½ sacks in 13 games last season. He showed he can play the run, but that he needed to improve as a pass rusher.
Improvement comes with being on the field. If he stays healthy, there’s no telling what Clowney is capable of doing — including dominating.
“Just come back and work hard, learn the playbook and show the guys I’m ready to go,” he said.
This is Clowney’s third season working with defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and linebackers coach Mike Vrabel. With experience has come a comfort level but a continued determination to prove what he’s capable of doing on a consistent basis.
“I’m very comfortable,” Clowney said. “I think I just got the defense down, and now I’m figuring out what everybody else does around me so I can know where the weakness is on our defense and where to help.”
Clowney knows there’s pressure on him to produce. He wants to add to the Watt-Mercilus mix that harassed so many quarterbacks last season.
“I think it’d be great,” he said. “We work on this every day at practice, and we know what we’ve got up front. We just have to get after it.”