BEREA, Ohio -- David Bowens wasn't bluffing last week when he expressed concern about his future. He really thought his days with the Browns could be numbered.

Bowens, though, survived cuts Saturday. And after discovering he was one of the linebackers to make the 53-man roster, Bowens thanked his family and friends in a message on Twitter.

"It came out publicly that I was worried," Bowens said. "Everyone just wished me well and really wished that I stayed here. I was just thanking everyone for all the support, and that things did end up the way I like it."

Last season, Bowens was one of the undisputed leaders of the defense. With linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton sidelined with season-ending injuries, Bowens became a defensive captain leading up to Week 11.

He finished the 2009 season with 71 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He had 15 starts, nine at inside linebacker and six at outside linebacker, in the 16 games in which he played.

But as he enters his 12th season in the NFL, Bowens, 33, is also the oldest defensive player on the Browns. The front office signed Scott Fujita and traded for Chris Gocong in the offseason, bolstering the linebacking corps.

Giving Bowens further reason to worry about his job status, he missed most of training camp and the first two preseason games because of a sore left knee. Players, coaches and reporters often joked with Bowens about his joining the coaching staff this summer, when he typically carried a clipboard instead of donning pads.

"Physically, I just wasn't out there, and that's reason enough to be on the bubble," Bowens said. "This league is performance based. And if you're not out there, you really (are at risk). I just wanted to get out there as soon as I could and show what I could do."

Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said the preseason finale on Thursday against the Chicago Bears didn't make or break any player's chance of earning a job. Bowens, however, said he treated the final exhibition game as a last audition, and his performance certainly didn't hurt his cause. He compiled four tackles, a half-sack and two quarterback hits.

"With all the conditioning that I wasn't able to get the first two preseason games, I worked my tail off between Saturday and Thursday in conditioning," Bowens said. "I was able to finish and take the majority of the snaps. I felt good. I felt confident. I had no regrets when I left the field."

Bowens formed a strong connection to Browns coach Eric Mangini when they were both with the New York Jets. Bowens played two seasons for Mangini in New York before signing with the Browns a few months after Mangini became the 12th full-time coach in Cleveland's history.

"David Bowens is one of my favorite players that I have ever coached," Mangini said after the Browns' preseason finale. "I can't say enough about David Bowens. He's a good person, he's a good leader and I have nothing but absolute respect for him and really enjoy coaching him."

Being a good guy, however, doesn't necessarily mean one can play in the NFL.

"He brings everything you want from (a leadership) aspect," Heckert said of Bowens. "But we think David can still play. All that other stuff is all fine and dandy, but you still have to be able to perform and we think David can."

Whether Bowens can duplicate his production from last season remains to be seen. Bowens is just thankful for a chance to try.

"This team has a lot of upswing, and to not be a part of it, especially when we started something at the end of last year, would have been devastating," he said. "I feel like these guys are family. This is one of the good teams I've been on. You don't really come across that, and I just wanted to be a part of it."

Ready to pounce

Although the Browns didn't use their Wildcats offense during the preseason, don't be surprised if they unleash it in their season opener Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"I think that we're gonna do a good job at keeping the defense on its toes, not only with (those) packages but with various other packages that we have that I cannot tell at this time," Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs said. "But I can tell you that we're gonna hit the ground running."

Defense is close

Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown insists the defense is close to performing at a high level, despite failing to do so at times during the preseason.

"I can remember some games when I was (playing for the Philadelphia Eagles) and we wouldn't do so well on the football field," Brown said. "We would be like, 'We're only one or two plays off,' and everyone would laugh at us, even in the times when we were really struggling when everyone was hurt. And then we would turn it around because we stayed together as one. And that's what we're gonna preach here."

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