When talking about the Cleveland Browns defense, the first player that comes to mind is Myles Garrett and that is rightfully so. Cleveland, one of the best defenses in the NFL, has an array of talent around him that needs their attention too.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for example, took a leap to be a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Browns last season and is a player that could have a chance to take an All-Pro type leap next.
Entering his fourth season in the NFL, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski knows what is next for Cleveland’s top linebacker.
“I do, yeah. I think Jeremiah now, as he gets older, becomes a veteran, better understanding what we do, more comfortable out there,” Stefanski explained on Tuesday. “Calling the defense if we need him to, we can signal the defense from the sideline as well. So certainly, you want to keep your best players on the field as much as possible, and that’s up to Jeremiah in a lot of ways to be comfortable in those roles.”
Last season with the Browns, Owusu-Koramoah turned in 101 tackles (20 TFL), 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in 16 games. It was a stellar season for Owusu-Koramoah, who really benefitted from the Browns’ improvements made in the trenches in front of him. JOK was a menace around the line of Srinagar and led all NFL linebackers in tackles for a loss.
In a contract year, Owusu-Koramoah is going to be paid eventually and he can raise his stock even more with a strong start to this campaign. Staying healthy could be the biggest key for the former Notre Dame standout.
With a revamped linebacker room, JOK is undoubtedly the top guy in the room and one of the best players on Jim Schwartz’s unit. It is going to be interesting to see what he can do in 2024.
