Bowens ready for ''whatever''

06.09.2009

David Bowens isn't trying to be funny or cocky. And even though he was brought here in March to help provide wisdom to a bunch of young players, he's not trying to sound like he's in on some big secret.

Ask Bowens what his role with the Browns will be 10 times, and 10 times you'll get this answer.

"Whatever."

So, whatever -- and wherever, whenever -- it shall be.

He's new to the Browns, but this role -- these roles -- isn't new to Bowens. He's been a defensive end, an outside linebacker, a designated pass rusher, played multiple roles on special teams and stayed open to doing even more. He's had to.

"Last year I played middle linebacker," Bowens said, "and I had never done it before in my life. Wherever they put me. Right now, primarily I've been a situational pass rusher. Wherever I fit in. things come up. People get hurt, things happen. I'm going to be able to fill in."

Bowens, who will be 32 next month, has made just 22 career starts in 136 career games. But he's played so long in a league most players don't thanks in part to that versatility. He's smart, athletic, able to provide a pass rush (32.5 career sacks, 24.5 since 2004) and able to help off the field, too.

This spring, with the Browns' new coaches installing a new defense and young linebackers like Kamerion Wimbley, D'Qwell Jackson and Alex Hall trying to find a way to not only to learn but also to thrive, Bowens adds another role to his extensive list, that of an on-field coach.

"D-Bo, he's got a lot of experience," Browns head coach Eric Mangini said. "He is very smart. He has good instincts. He can help share some of that experience with those (younger) guys. He has made some mistakes that maybe he can prevent other guys from making. He has been in situations that could be new to those guys and he could help them think about it prior to getting into it.

"(Outside) was his starting point in New York, but he did end up starting five games for us at inside linebacker and did a nice job."

A fifth-round pick of the Broncos in 1999, Bowens spent time there, with the Packers and Redskins before catching on with the Dolphins, where he played from the end of the 2001 season through 2006. He played under Mangini with the Jets the last two seasons, and joined former Jets teammate and fellow linebacker -- at least when Bowens is playing linebacker -- Eric Barton in signing with the Browns this spring.

Bowens said he and Barton are leading "by example. Things are done a certain way. Not to say we're better than anybody, but we just understand how Coach likes it. We know when we're supposed to be somewhere, we're supposed to be somewhere.

"When we're supposed to do something, we're supposed to do something. We haven't had a problem. We're leading by example, the guys who are familiar with Coach and the other guys just kind of follow."