Jadeveon Clowney Reveals Why he Returned to Cleveland
The former first overall pick is back in Cleveland but perhaps not for the reasons you thought.
Jadeveon Clowney is back in Cleveland for a second consecutive season. Though his reason for returning may not come to fruition.
‘I thought I played well here last year, and I feel like I can get better and pick off from what I did last year,’ he told reporters Thursday. ‘Then my boy came here, Deshaun.’
Clowney and newly minted Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson were teammates for two seasons in Houston and formed a bond strong enough to sway Clowney to join him amidst Watson’s off-field issues.
The quarterback is currently facing 24 civil lawsuits over accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct during massages. The Browns gave Watson the keys to their franchise in the form of a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal after arriving via trade in the spring.
It may be a while before the quarterback can suit up for Cleveland; he was cleared of criminal charges, though the NFL is investigating the allegations made against him.
In spite of the questions surrounding Watson’s status and character, Clowney was fully focused on joining the former Clemson star wherever he landed.
‘I was all about where my boy Deshaun was going,’ Clowney said. ‘I just wanted to go play with him and see what I can do with him again.’
‘I told him if he goes [to Cleveland], then I will follow him over here. That’s what it came down to.’
It remains to be seen when Deshaun Watson will be able to suit up for the Browns.
Clowney performed strongly alongside All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett, amassing 9 sacks in 14 games with the Browns last season, resulting in a new one-year, $10 million deal.
If Watson is made unavailable to Cleveland this season, Clowney still believes the Browns will be a force to be reckoned with.
‘We’ve got a good defense, we can hold it together,’ Clowney said. ‘We did good last year, and we were banged up on offense all over the place and our defense played well for what we had going on. … We’re going to be all right.’
NFL announces Preseason TV schedule
An enormous 23 games will be shown on the league’s broadcast channel…this includes to quadruple-headers in Weeks 1 and 2 before two doses of triple-headers in Week 3.
The NFL announced this week there will be a record number of preseason games will be shown on NFL Network.
Let’s hope we’ll see more of this!
Importantly, all preseason games will be shown on NFL GamePass, which is fantastic news for international and American fans alike.
An enormous 23 games will be shown on the league’s broadcast channel will show eight games through Weeks 1-2 before a final seven during the third and final week of preseason.
This includes to quadruple-headers in Weeks 1 and 2 before two doses of triple-headers in Week 3.
The Football Team kick off NFL Network’s coverage on August 12 at New England, where we should get our first official look at Mac Jones in a Patriots uniform.
Trevor Lawrence is likely to hit your screens on August 14 as Urban Meyer and the Jags host AFC rivals, Cleveland.
Media and fans alike will be hoping to get a glimpse of Jordan Love too, which may come as early as Week 2 (August 21) at home to Zac Wilson and Gang Green.
Below is a full list of the games to air on NFL Network across the preseason:
Week 1
Thursday, August 12
7:30 PM ET – Washington Football Team vs. New England Patriots
Friday, August 13
7:00 PM ET – Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions
10:00 PM ET – Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals
Saturday, August 14
1:00 PM ET – Miami Dolphins vs. Chicago Bears
4:00 PM ET – Denver Broncos vs. Minnesota Vikings
7:00 PM ET – Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
10:00 PM ET – Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, August 15
1:00 PM ET – Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 2
Thursday, August 19
7:30 PM ET – New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Friday, August 20
8:00 PM ET – Cincinnati Bengals vs. Washington Football Team
Saturday, August 21
1:00 PM ET – Buffalo Bills vs. Chicago Bears
4:25 PM ET – New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers
7:30 PM ET – Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
10:00 PM ET – Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, August 22
1:00 PM ET – New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns
7:30 PM ET – San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 3
Friday, August 27
8:00 PM ET – Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Saturday, August 28
1:00 PM ET – Green Bay Packers vs. Buffalo Bills
7:00 PM ET – Chicago Bears vs. Tennessee Titans
10:00 PM ET – Los Angeles Chargers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, August 29
1:00 PM ET – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Dallas Cowboys
4:00 PM ET – Las Vegas Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers
6:00 PM ET – New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
For American fans — NFL Network will blackout live games shown concurrently in local markets.
NFL announces joint practices - Who your team is playing and why
After practicing against your own same players throughout OTAs and training camp, it is a great opportunity to move through different plays, schemes against foreign opponents.
Not all 32 teams are participating in joint practices though. Only 21 teams are will involve themselves with another organization.
Joint practices aren’t a new phenomenon in the NFL. They essentially act as an opportunity for teams and players to go through scrimmages against different personnel.
After practicing against your own same players throughout OTAs and training camp, it is a great opportunity to move through different plays, schemes against foreign opponents.
Not all 32 teams are participating in joint practices though. Only 21 teams are will involve themselves with another organization.
New Orleans and Jacksonville were set to meet in Louisiana on August 20, but since the release of the schedule both teams have confirmed otherwise.
Teams NOT involved in joint practices this offseason:
Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills
Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Football Team
Some teams will engage in two bouts of joint practices; the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, and both the New York clubs (Jets and Giants).
Arguably, the most famous joint practice moment of recent memory involved then-Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins and Washington’s DeAngelo Hall getting into it. Things got interesting, real quick…
Thankfully for DB’s everywhere their ankles won’t be tested by D-Hop until preseason at the earliest.
Full list of this year’s joint practices:
Courtesy of NFL Communications