CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland native Dre’Mont Jones, the free agent pass-rusher from the Broncos, has an opportunity this week to hit the trifecta of Ohio soccer: Saint Ignatius Excessive College, Ohio State, and the Cleveland Browns, who’re occupied with signing him.

“I’m fairly certain that’s a whole lot of Ohio youngsters’ dream come true,” Jones instructed cleveland.com by cellphone on Saturday.

With groups allowed to pre-negotiate with free brokers starting Monday at midday, Jones will know over the subsequent couple of days if he’s coming residence. He’s one in every of a number of defensive linemen on the Browns’ radar, and a supply instructed cleveland.com that they’re anticipated to be “squarely within the combine” to land him.

“It’s actually thrilling,” Jones stated. “It’s an honor to have your hometown group be occupied with you. In order that alone, I admire it.”

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Regardless of all of the lean Browns years all through his lifetime, Jones remained a diehard fan.

“I’ve been a Browns fan all of my life, since zero up till I bought to varsity,” he stated.

His household and buddies can be over the moon if he landed again in The Land. His fast relations are all nonetheless Browns followers who prayed that John Dorsey would draft Jones in 2019. Beforehand, Jones’ dad, Sandy Williams instructed clevelandbrowns.com that “I’d cry” if the Browns drafted his son, and his mother, Tina, and older brothers Dionte and Darrin have been simply as invested.

“That’s been our dream your complete time,” Dionte stated then “It was all the time the purpose is to play for the Browns.”

Like everybody else in his era, Jones, 26, was too younger to recollect the playoff season in 2002, and was already a Bronco when the subsequent one rolled round in 2020. However he hung in there as one QB after one other bought added to the notorious jersey.

“I’m loyal,” he stated Saturday. “My household can be actually excited. Simply to have a household, buddies, everyone who’s been concerned with my life, I’m fairly rattling certain they’d all change into Cleveland (followers).”

It was his mother and father’ determination to ship him to Saint Ignatius, the place he starred in each basketball and soccer, however he’ll eternally thank them for it.

“I cherished Ignatius,” he stated. “The morals and values I took from Ignatius will all the time persist with me till the day I die. They embedded that custom of their tradition into my mind and into my soul, so I’m all the time sort of indebted to Ignatius in a approach.”

He’s already heard from some fellow former Wildcats.

“I’ve had a couple of folks hit me up, asking can I come again residence,” he stated.

A four-star recruit, he’ll additionally all the time cherish his three years at Ohio State, the place he recorded 114 tackles, 58 solo, 22 for a loss and 9.5 sacks. In his ultimate season in 2018 as a junior, he notched 43 tackles, 26 strong, 13 TFL, three pressured fumbles and a restoration for a TD.

“I’ve been an Ohio State fan because the time I feel I used to be born,” he stated. “Earlier than I even preferred soccer, I simply preferred Ohio State. I’ll all the time eternally love Ohio State.”

In his second-last season there, he roomed with Browns cornerback and fellow Cleveland native Denzel Ward, who was picked by the Browns at No. 4 general within the 2018 draft.

“It could be fairly cool (to be reunited),” Jones stated. “It could be again like outdated instances, him taking part in exterior and me speeding the passer.”

He’d additionally like to play up entrance with Myles Garrett, of whom he’s an enormous fan.

“That may be loopy good,” he stated. “I’ve solely seen and heard good issues about him on and off the sphere, in order that’d be cool to have. I’ve been round some good gamers so it wouldn’t be something new.”

Jones spent 2 1/2 years taking part in with and studying from future Corridor of Famer and 8-time Professional Bowl edge rusher Von Miller. He additionally performed with two-time Professional Bowler edge-rusher Bradley Chubb and premier exterior linebacker Randy Gregory.

“I’m used to star gamers,” he stated. “My purpose is to make not solely my job simpler, however their job simpler too, particularly (Garrett). He’ll most likely have all all of the highlight, the eye in relation to sport planning. So if I’m there, my job can be to load the stress off.”

Jones (6-3, 281) has averaged 5.5 sacks over his 4 seasons, and notched a career-high 6.5 in 2022. However he missed the ultimate 4 video games with a hip harm — all clear now — and has tons of upside potential.

“I’m nonetheless studying the sport,” he stated. “Final yr was my first actual season of coping with being a full-time starter with out subbing. I had the room to myself principally. I simply sort of bought my ft moist with the entire means of being a full-time starter and I had 6.5 sacks however I positively have extra on the market within the tank.”

Primarily based on that lone season as a starter, Jones is assured he’s a perennial double-digit sacker.

“I positively imagine it,” he stated. “Although the stats don’t say it, I imagine I’m.”

Jones, who performed 451 snaps at sort out final season and 224 at finish, can be an ideal slot in Jim Schwartz’ 4-3, Large 9 scheme, by which one or each of the ends usually line up additional broad. He can play inside and outside, and Schwartz would transfer him round to create favorable matchups. With the Browns needing assist at each sort out and finish, Jones can be a two-for-one discount, and would like to play for an attack-minded, defensive-lineman loving coach like Schwartz. All the massive males do.

“That performs an element into any decision-making you do,” Jones stated. “You have a look at what they’ve already, the teaching, the gamers. It’s all part of the method of determining the place you wish to go. So him being there may be large for that protection. If I’m there hopefully, I’ll be a part of one thing nice, however I can’t actually say a lot till I determine what I’m doing. I do know he’s a hell of a coach, although.”

The possibility to win a Tremendous Bowl with Deshaun Watson at QB can be engaging.

“It’s crucial,” he stated. “You all the time wish to go to a aggressive group. But it surely’s additionally good to be a part of a group that’s not good and you’ll be a part of the rationale why they change into contenders too.”

Regardless of the barking aunts, uncles and cousins, the excited fellow Wildcats and the possibility to return residence, Jones is making an attempt to assume along with his head and never his coronary heart as he heads into the free company frenzy on Monday, the place he’s anticipated to have a number of severe suitors.

“I’m treating this extra from a enterprise perspective,” he stated. “I’m not likely placing any kind of biases or exterior elements actually into any determination that I’ve bought happening. I’m from Cleveland, however it doesn’t essentially imply I’m all in on Cleveland. I’m open for each group.”

He’s desirous to see what Monday brings, when the telephones begin ringing at midday. By Wednesday, he’ll know if he’s again in The 216, which nonetheless matches the world code of his mobile phone.

“I’m not completely certain what’s going to occur,” he stated. “I do know there’s an entire bunch of groups that I assume have some curiosity in me. I’m fairly certain there are some sleeper groups I don’t find out about. I’m simply excited to see. I’m simply curious.”

Jones hasn’t dominated out a return to the Broncos, the place he’s made his residence since 2019. With a brand new coach in Sean Payton, something can occur between now and Wednesday.

“I’m open for the Broncos,” he stated. “I’m open for each group. It may be anyplace. There’s no door closed for anyone. The Broncos are a group that I’ve been part of for the previous 4 seasons, and I admire them. I’m comfy right here. I’ve an ideal relationship right here with this metropolis and with this group.”

With an estimated market worth of about $17.1 million a yr based on Spotrac, Jones is aware of that is his probability to seize the brass ring.

“The entire level of that is maximizing myself and my potential and my alternatives,” he stated. “I’ve simply go to in there with an open coronary heart. Any private biases should be taken out of it.”

Within the meantime, his household will probably be chanting “OH-IO” and “Right here we go Brownies.”

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