3 Defensive players who shined in Browns season opener

Defensive Standout No. 2: Jadeveon Clowney

Jadeveon Clowney is the perfect defensive end to compliment Myles Garrett in every way. If you were going to design a player to be lined up on the opposite side of the line from Garrett, you make someone who sets the edge at an elite level, stays disciplined, and crashes down the line of scrimmage on inside runs.

In many ways, the role that Clowney plays for the Browns is equally as important to their defensive scheme as anyone.

Clowney was his normal self in the season opener. The former No. 1 overall pick was causing problems for Panthers’ tackle, Taylor Moton, from the opening whistle. On the first play from scrimmage, Clowney discarded Moton and tipped Baker Mayfield’s first pass as a member of the Panthers. Clowney would go on to tip another attempt from Mayfield on a bootleg later in the first quarter.

On the day, Clowney was credited with three solo tackles. All of his tackles came from Clowney crashing down the line in run support, and all came within two yards of the line of scrimmage. Clowney was also awarded half of a sack, along with Tommy Togiai, on a coverage sack in the second quarter.

What Jadeveon Clowney does for this Browns defense will not jump off the page on stat sheets. He will not get the headlines that his counterpart Garrett does, but Clowney is a tone-setter. Clowney is an absolute menace, and that is exactly what this Browns defense needs him to be.