By Anthony Licciardi
The Cleveland Browns will once again have the luxury of employing Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney to rush the passer in 2022.
Two former No. 1 overall picks. Two absolute freak athletes. Two incredibly important assets to the Cleveland defense.
Two superstars? Not so fast.
Garrett is the best edge rusher on the planet and perhaps the second-best defensive player in the league. His 16 sacks in 2021 landed him yet another All-Pro selection, the third of his young career. He’s one of the most disruptive athletes on the face of the planet.
There’s a reason why both FanDuel and DraftKings have him at +700 to win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022. Placing $100 on Garrett to win the award could net you an extra $700 by the time 2022 comes to a close.
On the other hand, Clowney is simply not in the same stratosphere as his running mate. Listed at +15000 on FanDuel for the same award, the expectations for the two aren’t remotely similar. And that’s okay.
Clowney’s role as Cleveland’s second-best edge is vital.
It’s fairly obvious that Clowney is Garrett’s Robin. Sure, he’ll get less of the spectacle, fewer dollars to his name, and far fewer fans. But is it that hard to imagine a storyline where Clowney saves the day?
Playing in a place as eerily gloomy as Gotham, Clowney will reap the benefits Batman provides. He’ll see fewer double teams and not have to bear the burden of 15-sack expectations. Alongside Garrett, Clowney can be the (very good) player that he is, to the dismay of no one.
After a couple of turbulent years, Clowney saw first-hand what Garrett’s presence means. He logged nine sacks and put up numbers emblematic of his time with the Houston Texans. It’ll be on him to punish teams for not giving him more attention.
Additionally, Clowney made a name for himself as an elite run defender, even when he wasn’t living up to the hype his draft stock created. On a roster that isn’t exactly fortified up the middle, he becomes even more important.
Early down stops lead to third-and-longs. With Clowney and Garrett, that equates to nightmare fuel for opposing quarterbacks.
Maintaining quality play against the run and being an exemplary second fiddle in the pass rush is how Clowney and the Browns’ front-seven can keep the team relevant, despite the offense’s projected struggles. For a team FanDuel has listed at +138 to make the playoffs, that formula will be paramount.
Sometimes it’s the unsung heroes that make the comics worth reading.