Good news/bad news

From the good news/bad news department at 76 Lou Groza Blvd in Berea . . . 

The good news: The Browns signed a new pass-rushing specialist Wednesday.

The bad news: It was Jadeveon Clowney.

Clowney, who entered the National Football League seven years ago as a heralded No. 1 overall draft choice of the Houston Texans, signed with his third team in three years. That screams JOURNEYMAN.

And a boastful one at that. To wit:

"I'm here to prove I can still dominate in this league," he said while introducing himself to the Cleveland media via ZOOM. "That's what I'm here to prove this year. I want to show I'm still an elite player. You're going to see this season."

Then hyperbole took over. "I'm capable of NFL defensive player of the year," he said. "All Pro for sure." Yes, he really said that. Honest.

Chisel that one in something hard and reference it from time to time throughout the 2021 season when Clowney is either on the sidelines in street clothes or on the injured list on game days.

If he is as good as he says (thinks?) he is, he would still be with the Texans and not scrounging around the NFL on an annual basis looking for the best possible contract. He couldn't even make it last season in Tennessee, where he played for Titans coach Mike Vrabel, his former defensive coordinator in Houston.

First of all, Clowney hasn't been an elite player in the NFL for the last four seasons. He has become a career-long injury waiting to happen at just about any time. He has played all 16 games in a season just once.

His latest physical hurdle was successfully rehabbing a major knee injury. When he passed his physical, the Browns signed him to a reported one-year, $10 million deal ($8 million base, $2 million in incentives), recklessly spending Jimmy Haslam III's money.

Just for shiggles, Google the list of his injuries and surgeries -- it's very long -- over his career. Numerous surgeries on both knees, multiple hernia procedures, not to mention ankle, elbow and back woes. It's one injury after another. 

Prepare yourself to at least wonder why this 6-5, 260-pound man is so brittle. He isn't anywhere near being the young phenom who entered the NFL in 2014. If Andrew Berry believes that, he is only fooling himself.

From a physical standpoint, Clowney is 28 years old going on 45. 

He has marginal pass-rushing skills. (And isn't that the reason Berry sought his services?) It has become abundantly clear Clowney's main strength lies in his ability to stop the run. Is that worth $10 million? Rhetorical question.

Besides, the Browns are well set at defensive tackle with Sheldon Richardson, Andrew Billings, Jordan Elliott and Malik Jackson. Run stopping is taken care of. That's not what the Brown are looking for. Disturbing and disrupting opposing quarterbacks from the edge is. The Browns are no better off there now than they were last season.

Clowney is not better than Olivier Vernon, who at least posed an honest-to-goodness threat from Myles Garrett's opposite flank last season. That will not be the case this season with Clowney and Takkarist McKinley alternating on the other side.

But this contract is for only one season, some will argue. Maybe so, but during that season, how many of the 17 games will Clowney suit up for? And how many sacks? The over/under on games is 10.5; sacks check in at 6.5. 

Clowney's stats pale in comparison with Garrett, who has racked up more sacks, quarterback hits and hurries in 51 career games than Clowney in his 83-game career. He did so with marginal help, while Clowney played with J. J. Watt in Houston for five seasons. And yet he has never had a double-digit sack season.

The newest Brown said he looks forward to teaming up with Garrett. "I've been double-teamed a lot in my career," he said. "I'd like them to focus on (Garrett). It might take some pressure off myself." He needn't worry about that. The peerless Garrett is routinely double- and sometimes triple-teamed. 

Berry, who deservedly is credited with smartly crafting a winning team in Cleveland for the first time in a generation, missed the mark on this one. It is clearly a step in the wrong direction.

It took the Cleveland general manager  part of two offseasons to finally land Clowney after failing last offseason to convince him Cleveland is where he belongs. He watched as Clowney accepted far less money (reportedly) from Tennessee and failed miserably.

He is no longer a playmaker. He is no longer a major threat. He can boast and bloviate all he wants. Talking doesn't make it so.

"It's a great feeling knowing you can come to a team already on the up," he said about the upcoming season. "I can help them get over the hump to the Super Bowl."

Right now, Jadeveon Clowney is a 28-year-old journeyman who will hang on long enough to collect a decent pension with a legacy of classic underachievement. Cleveland is merely his next stop.