Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's ceiling? 'Best linebacker in the NFL,' says a Browns teammate

BEREA — The bar has been set for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. And it's been set high.

"I texted him after the game (Saturday)," linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. said Sunday, a day after the Browns' season-ending AFC wild card loss to the Houston Texans. "I said, if he's not the best linebacker in the NFL next year, that's his fault. Because he has everything that it takes."

A jump like that by Owusu-Koramoah, the third-year Browns linebacker, wouldn't be unfathomable. At least not when you put it in context considering his jump this past season.

Owusu-Koramoah finished with a team-high 101 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. He also had two interceptions, one forced fumble and six passes defensed.

"It's hard to take any individual praise," Owusu-Koramoah said Sunday. "It's very hard to. For me, I go back and look at that which I should have did better. I apologize to the coaches after, I apologize to the teammates after, just because I think I could have been more myself. So I think it comes back to that and just being accountable."

Through Owusu-Koramoah's first two seasons in the league, it was never a question of his talent. Often, it was just a question of availability.

Owusu-Koramoah missed nine combined games over his first two seasons due to various injuries. That included a season-ending foot injury that cost him the last four games of last season.

This season, though, Owusu-Koramoah answered the bell not just all 16 times he was called upon — he did not play in the regular-season finale at Cincinnati while being rested with the rest of the starters — but also in the playoff loss to Houston.

"It started with the process in the offseason," linebackers coach Jason Tarver said the week of the regular-season finale. "The two things that I've said, I think every time I've been up here, which is getting his body ready for a full season — he did that — and then his approach, play in and play out that his next play is going to be the best play he's ever had, and he's just got better and better at that. … So continuing to start games the way he finished the last one (Week 17 vs. New York Jets) is going to be our emphasis going forward and, man, staying in that process."

If the playoff loss to Houston is a jumping-off point for next season for Owusu-Koramoah, Walker's words may be true. On a night the Browns' top-ranked defense looked like a shell of itself, the Notre Dame product looked close to the perfect version of himself.

That's not to say Owusu-Koramoah was perfect. He was in the wrong place on Brevin Jordan's 76-yard touchdown catch, a play that gave the Texans the lead for good at 17-14 with 12 minutes left in the second quarter.

Still, Owusu-Koramoah also played every defensive snap, all 46, and had nine tackles and four tackles for loss. However, he could only think about the team result a day later.

"For me, I do believe that it was more so just making our responsibilities and being specific with those things that we're supposed to do," Owusu-Koramoah said. "I gave up one when I didn't look up the tight end. Or you have some people that may have made some mistakes in the back end, right? I think that it comes down to just doing our responsibility and being patient with our jobs and make sure that we can fill those."

If Owusu-Koramoah can, then the sky could be the limit. That could also open the door to a little more financial security after next season.

Owusu-Koramoah isn't eligible for a fifth-year option having been a second-round pick in 2021. However, much like the Browns did for safety Grant Delpit in December, they could prioritize signing him to an extension before he reaches free agency after next season.

"Yeah, I mean, I love Cleveland," Owusu-Koramoah said. "I'm not a super party guy, so Cleveland is just the spot for me. But nevertheless, I mean, I think a lot of the things comes down to what the front office wants to do. Of course, it'll be my third year, so I'm not sure how much leverage I do have at this point. I'll just be looking to see what front office thinks and try to get whatever."

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: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah finds new level in third season with Browns