James Proche II going back to Baltimore to help Browns special teams against old team
BEREA — James Proche II first landed on the Browns' radar not as an option for them, but as an opponent.
Proche spent his first three NFL seasons playing for the Baltimore Ravens. While he wasn't necessarily a primary weapon either as a receiver or a return specialist, he was impactful enough to catch their eye.
As the Browns travel to play Proche's old team in Baltimore on Sunday, they're counting on him to catch more than their eyes. They banking on him catching a few punts and, possibly, even passes.
Proche may even know a little bit about what the Browns are potentially going to be facing.
"Obvious a lot, including the film study and the preparation that my coaches have done for me to put us in positions to succeed," Proche said Thursday. "But being over there for three years, I'm familiar with the players and a lot of their tendencies. It's going to be a fun, fun game.
Proche made his Browns debut Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, less than a week after having been signed to the practice squad Oct. 31. He was elevated to the gameday roster the day before the game, then went out and averaged 9.2 yards on six punt returns while also playing six snaps at receiver.
On Tuesday, the Browns added Proche to the active roster full-time. That's just in time for him to help his new team go on the road to beat his old one.
Such a week's time could leave someone's head spinning. Proche, a 2020 sixth-round pick of the Ravens, denied that was the case.
"No, it wasn't really a whirlwind," he said. "I just came in and do my job, being professional. Just doing what they they told me to do."
The same day Proche was signed to the practice squad, the Browns traded away receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick. Beyond being a receiver, Peoples-Jones had been their primary punt return specialist over the last two seasons, averaging 6.5 yards on 13 returns.
Proche came to the Browns with extensive punt return experience in his time with the Ravens. He averaged 8.2 yards on 27 returns during his time in Baltimore, including an 8.6 average on 20 returns as a rookie in 2020.
So it was almost a given what Proche's role would be for the Browns.
"James has done a good job the last couple weeks that he's been here," assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said. "I liked him when he was coming out of school (at SMU). I thought he did a good job when he was in Baltimore. Very good judgment, good hands, smart kid, very hard worker, detailed, and is a guy that is going to get downhill."
There was almost immediately a noticeable difference with Proche returning punts. His second return was a 17-yarder — longest of the season for the Browns — to start their initial scoring drive of the game.
The 9.2 average isn't a single-game best for the Browns, who had Elijah Moore average 11.5 yards on two returns in Seattle and Jaelon Darden average 9.8 yards on four returns against San Francisco. However, it's also appears to be just the beginning for Proche.
"I just treat it like every other opportunity," Proche said. "Try to not get too high, not to get too low, stay even keel. I don't want to put any emotion to it or any extra media thing that people might try to draw up. I just [think], next game."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: James Proche II looking to help Browns special teams against old team
