The Cleveland Browns returned to the field on Wednesday.
Cleveland faced the most daunting competition it will face all season: itself.
The Browns’ OTAs on Wednesday was the media’s first chance to check out the new-look Browns team in action.
Working out without pads, the offense got a chance to toss some passes, check in with each other, and stretch out its legs.
To be fair, those legs have to be cramped from the offense’s long flight back from Cancun.
Welcome Back
One familiar (and relieving) sight to see was Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney took the field with smiles and waves, looking pumped to be back in a Browns jersey.
Jadeveon Clowney is back in brown and orange. #Browns pic.twitter.com/iRxmxWIXoi
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) May 25, 2022
Happy to have you back @clownejd 🤟 pic.twitter.com/XwZ5yQjYhW
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 25, 2022
Clowney only recently re-signed with the Browns, following an extended free agency.
He’ll bolster a defensive line unit that, outside of Myles Garrett, was a major question mark heading into the summer.
But with Clowney back, coach Kevin Stefanski can rest assured that the D-Line won’t just be Garrett and a bunch of freshman and sophomores.
Last season, Clowney experienced a rejuvenation in Cleveland.
He racked up nine sacks, combining with Myles Garrett for over half of the team’s total sacks.
So yes, fans will welcome that smile and swagger back with wide open arms.
New Looks
While Clowney’s return brings some stability to the defense, several pieces of the offense are brand new.
In particular, wide receiver Amari Cooper and quarterback Deshaun Watson both came to Cleveland in the offseason via free agency and trade, respectively.
Cooper is fresh off a stint with the Dallas Cowboys that saw him fail to reach 1,000 yards for the first time since 2018.
He got close, though, going for 865 and eight touchdowns.
The drop in yardage was likely due to a crowded receiver room, where Cooper was competing for touches with Ceedee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and even tight end Dalton Schultz.
Now, Cooper is solidly the team’s WR1, now that stars Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, Jr. are long gone.
Wats-on the Field
Watson, for his part, experienced an even greater dropoff in production in 2021-22 than Cooper.
That’s because Watson didn’t play a single snap for his previous team, the Houston Texans.
Watson currently faces 22 civil suits of sexual assault, misconduct, and harassment.
Further, the commissioner’s office has yet to weigh in with its own punishment for Watson, which could include a lengthy suspension.
Despite all of these serious realities, GM Andrew Berry traded for Watson, sending a mighty haul of draft capital to the Texans.
In addition, the team turned around a fully guaranteed $230 million contract to Watson.
It’s all an obvious signal that Cleveland is willing to wait out whatever punishment comes Watson’s way, even if it means sacrificing a season of competition to do so.
By the way, if Watson misses significant time and the Browns predictably stall, they won’t even have next year’s first-rounder to ease the pain.
Or the following year’s.
Because of this, and the fact that Watson hasn’t played football in over a year, folks were very eager to see in what kind of form Watson looked.
Here’s what they saw:
That Watson 2️⃣ Cooper connection! pic.twitter.com/5f8x8EfsAF
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 25, 2022
4 ➡️ 11. #Browns pic.twitter.com/PUZGUFOgVv
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) May 25, 2022
Deshaun Watson hits TE Miller Forristall for a TD. #Browns pic.twitter.com/OB7mc0mkt6
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) May 25, 2022
Oh, and I wouldn’t get my hopes up on any of the Browns emerging as the next Steph Curry . . .
The Browns play an epic game of knock out… Who wins it?? #Browns pic.twitter.com/0pVw74dtoS
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) May 25, 2022
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