CLEVELAND — When the Browns selected linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in 2021, they added versatility and agility to the room. Now entering year three, Owusu-Koramoah is hoping to not only take a new leap this year but is focusing on his health and availability as the season approaches.
A foot injury plagued Owusu-Koramoah last season, and the lingering issues saw surgery as an option this season. However, Owusu-Koramoah, an alkaline vegan who has been dedicated to natural healing and remedies, opted to go a different route this offseason.
"The surgery was obviously presented as an option. I wanted to more so tap into the natural way to kind of heal my foot. It was a personal decision. It wasn’t like I saw anything better on this side or not better on that side. It was more so just a personal preference," Owusu-Koramoah explained.
That personal preference has seen the linebacker rededicate his mindset to coming back healthier than ever in year three. From stretching and yoga to natural supplements and gaining mass, Owusu-Koramoah has tweaked his approach as the 2024 season draws near.
"I gained a little bit more mass. To me, I still feel fast, still feel quick. I still feel like I could do the same things that I am used to doing – the quickness and agility, so it feels fine," he said. "I’m always in between 216 and 225, so I’m always in that range. It’s just about keeping that consistently throughout the season and making sure that I’m eating the right things. With my diet, it’s a little bit different. I can’t take three days off, two days off with not eating the right things, right? So I have to be a little bit more conscientious of exactly what I’m putting in my body and the things I’m taking.”
While some may see the added mass as a requirement for Owusu-Koramoah to succeed, that's not necessarily true under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Schwartz talked about how he viewed the size of linebackers during his introductory press conference in January.
"I have sort of learned that over the years. If you see our linebackers here, if I am doing a good job, they are playing fast and physical and there is not a lot of hesitation in their play. When that is all said and done, it does not matter if they are 200 pounds or 250 pounds. Let’s not get above 250. Let’s try to keep it below that," Schwartz said.
Now, Schwartz's words will take shape as Owusu-Koramoah hits the practice fields in training camp and approaches a new season in the league.
The linebacker is eager to get to put the words into action.
“Any player that has a certain skill set yearns for a coach like Coach Schwartz to be able to tap into his full potential and to put him in the right places, to send him when it’s time to send, to put him back when it’s time to put him back," Owusu-Koramoah said. "Coach Schwartz really understands not only my skill set but also the other players and the personnel, not only of our team but also of the other teams and when to put us in different places at certain times.”
This year, the Browns hope to deploy Owusu-Koramoah in a way that allows him to showcase his skillset and dominate on defense.
"We want JOK to be aggressive. As you know, when he's played really well, he's flying across the field playing 53 and a third yards of defense," said head coach Kevin Stefanski.
As training camp has gone on, Owusu-Koramoah has been taking in all of the intricacies of his role.
"In our scheme, our D line's job is to mess stuff up and attack it, and our job is to fix it," said linebackers coach Jason Tarver. "Of course, that is one of Jeremiah's strengths. So as long as his mind is clear, and again, we keep it simple. We don't need to make things harder than they are and go play fast. That's why he's here. That's why we're here."
Tarver raved about Owusu-Kormaoah's strength, which he said has increased exponentially since last season. Aside from that, the team believes Owusu-Koramoah has the natural ability to excel in this league, and with a new defensive approach, all that's left is for the linebacker to stay healthy, strong and focused.
Watch live and local news any time:
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
