Jadeveon Clowney has only been a member of the Titans for a few days, but he’s not letting that stop him from jumping into the lineup in the season opener.
Clowney said on a Thursday videoconference that “of course I’m going to be ready” to play against the Broncos on Monday night and it sounds like he expects to be in pivotal role on the Tennessee defense. Clowney’s basing that off his past experience with Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel was Clowney’s defensive coordinator with the Texans before moving up to the Titans job and Clowney said that relationship helped him decide to sign with the Titans last weekend.
“I think Mike Vrabel is one of the smartest coaches I think I’ve ever had since I’ve been playing football,” Clowney said. “He knows football front and back, and he knows how to put guys in position to make plays, and that’s what he did in Houston. When I got here, he started moving me around already. He just put me in position to make plays, he believes I’m a playmaker and he believes in in my ability to make plays. So he keeps lining me up all over the place, and I’ll keep making plays for him. I just was trying to figure out what scheme and what I wanted to be a part of. I know when I was with Vrabel in Houston I was second team All-Pro and three Pro Bowls with him. I was saying in my head, ‘I think I can do that with him in that system.’”
The Titans likely have the same thoughts, which is why they remained in pursuit of Clowney throughout the offseason. Now that they’ve landed him, we’ll see if the second go-round with Vrabel is as fruitful as the first one.