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By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 10:10 p.m. EDT, Oct 20, 2009
When coach Eric Mangini took over and began analyzing film of the Browns, he said inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was in the frame at the end of almost every play.
Now Mangini will have to find a replacement for the defense's most reliable player for the past three years.
Jackson's season ended Tuesday, when he was placed on injured reserve. Jackson suffered a shoulder injury late in the second quarter of Sunday's 27-14 loss at Pittsburgh and did not play in the second half.
''It's disappointing any time you lose a player for the season, and this is especially true with someone like D'Qwell, who has proven to be an outstanding leader for us both on and off the field,'' Mangini said in a statement.
A second-round draft choice in 2006 out of Maryland, Jackson ranks third in the league in tackles with 59 in statistics on NFL.com. The Browns credit him with 57 tackles, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
Jackson led the Browns in tackles in 2008 and 2007 and finished second as a rookie. He was also elected a co-captain this season.
''D'Qwell is a very accountable guy. He's a stand-up guy, he makes plays and he's very consistent,'' Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald said Tuesday night. He replaced Jackson on his weekly DQ52 radio show on WKNR. ''To put him on IR, it really hurts us. We've got to have somebody step up and try to fill his shoes.''
The loss of Jackson will be a blow for the Browns' defense and also comes at a tough time for Jackson. He is in the final year of his contract that will pay him $640,000 this season and had hoped for an extension before the end of the year.
Mangini has been praising Jackson since February, when he said: ''I've really enjoyed watching D'Qwell. He's pretty much in the frame at the end of every play and that is always what you look for. You always try to count how many defenders are in that last frame and he seems to be everywhere.''
Rookie Kaluka Maiava, a fourth-round pick from USC, replaced Jackson against the Steelers but struggled in pass coverage. Maiava finished with six tackles and a forced fumble.
Asked the toughest part for him, Maiava said Monday: ''Just calming my nerves, I guess. Being a rookie and stuff, being out there with all the vets. After the first hit, it goes away pretty quick.''
Rookie David Veikune, a second-round pick from Hawaii, could also step in for Jackson. Veikune has been practicing inside of late, but worked both inside and outside during training camp, which might have slowed his progress.
''It's given me a good base for this defense, to learn all this stuff,'' Veikune said.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.
When coach Eric Mangini took over and began analyzing film of the Browns, he said inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was in the frame at the end of almost every play.
Now Mangini will have to find a replacement for the defense's most reliable player for the past three years.
Jackson's season ended Tuesday, when he was placed on injured reserve. Jackson suffered a shoulder injury late in the second quarter of Sunday's 27-14 loss at Pittsburgh and did not play in the second half.
''It's disappointing any time you lose a player for the season, and this is especially true with someone like D'Qwell, who has proven to be an outstanding leader for us both on and off the field,'' Mangini said in a statement.
A second-round draft choice in 2006 out of Maryland, Jackson ranks third in the league in tackles with 59 in statistics on NFL.com. The Browns credit him with 57 tackles, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
Jackson led the Browns in tackles in 2008 and 2007 and finished second as a rookie. He was also elected a co-captain this season.
''D'Qwell is a very accountable guy. He's a stand-up guy, he makes plays and he's very consistent,'' Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald said Tuesday night. He replaced Jackson on his weekly DQ52 radio show on WKNR. ''To put him on IR, it really hurts us. We've got to have somebody step up and try to fill his shoes.''
The loss of Jackson will be a blow for the Browns' defense and also comes at a tough time for Jackson. He is in the final year of his contract that will pay him $640,000 this season and had hoped for an extension before the end of the year.
Mangini has been praising Jackson since February, when he said: ''I've really enjoyed watching D'Qwell. He's pretty much in the frame at the end of every play and that is always what you look for. You always try to count how many defenders are in that last frame and he seems to be everywhere.''
Rookie Kaluka Maiava, a fourth-round pick from USC, replaced Jackson against the Steelers but struggled in pass coverage. Maiava finished with six tackles and a forced fumble.
Asked the toughest part for him, Maiava said Monday: ''Just calming my nerves, I guess. Being a rookie and stuff, being out there with all the vets. After the first hit, it goes away pretty quick.''
Rookie David Veikune, a second-round pick from Hawaii, could also step in for Jackson. Veikune has been practicing inside of late, but worked both inside and outside during training camp, which might have slowed his progress.
''It's given me a good base for this defense, to learn all this stuff,'' Veikune said.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.
Comments
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Posted 05:14 AM, 10/21/2009
Let's see what these drafts picks can do over the next 10 games. Its great experience for them, but to get in the game at the expense of DQwell is not how anyone wanted it to happen.
Maiava did struggle in pass coverage. That's why the Steelers had all those underneath routes open.
I, for one, am excited about these LBs they drafted. Just hope they come through.
Paradise, Oh
Posted 08:14 AM, 10/21/2009
Lerner sells Browns.
Browns change name and get new uniform colors.
I'm looking for those headlines.
, OH
Posted 09:57 AM, 10/21/2009
I wouldn't worry about it. Linebacking along with quarterbacking and wide receivers are the strengths of this team. I find myself asking what else can go wrong this season?
Posted 05:12 PM, 10/21/2009
Hmmmm, guess passing on Maualuga doesn't look like such a great idea now. Glad we got a center with that first round pick. Not like we could've gotten a servicable center in the third or fourth round.
Hiram, GA
Posted 11:42 PM, 10/22/2009
Noodles, what are you sniffing that makes you issue the most bizzare of comments?
