Jadeveon Clowney re-signed with Cleveland Browns so he could play again with Deshaun Watson

BEREA, Ohio — Jadeveon Clowney admitted Thursday he ultimately decided he would be re-signing with the Cleveland Browns once he knew quarterback Deshaun Watson was headed to Cleveland, too.

«I thought I played well here last year, and I feel like I can get better and pick off from what I did last year,» the defensive end said, when listing the reasons why he returned to the Browns.

«Then my boy came here, Deshaun.»

Clowney is coming off a breakout season with the Browns after signing a one-year deal last year. Playing opposite All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett, Clowney finished with nine sacks; both Garrett and Clowney ranked in the top four in the NFL in pass rush win rate.

«Me and (Garrett) did some good things together,'' Clowney said as the Browns completed their final minicamp practice at FirstEnergy Stadium. „We got along well. We played well together. We fed off each other. We're going to do the same thing this year, even better.… We got a good thing going from last year. We want to keep it going this year.“

What tipped the scales for Clowney, though, was the opportunity to play again with Watson, his former teammate with the Houston Texans.

»I was all about where my boy Deshaun was going," Clowney said. «I just wanted to go play with him and see what I can do with him again.»

The Browns traded for Watson in March, sending three first-round picks to the Houston Texans.

A source told ESPN that Clowney spoke to Watson the week of the trade while Watson was still considering joining the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, and that in their conversation, Clowney gave Cleveland and the Browns a strong endorsement.

«I told him if he goes (to Cleveland) then I will follow him over here,» Clowney