Even in a loss, the Browns gave fans something to get excited about - and it starts with their rookie quarterback. Shedeur Sanders turned heads in Sunday’s matchup against the Titans, delivering a performance that felt like a glimpse into what could be a new era under center in Cleveland.
Yes, the Titans’ defense ranks near the bottom of the league - 29th, to be exact - but that doesn't take away from what Sanders put on tape. The rookie threw for over 300 yards, becoming the first Browns quarterback to hit that mark since Week 13 of the 2024 season. That game, if you remember, was the full Jameis Winston experience: nearly 500 yards, four touchdowns, and three picks - two of which went the other way for six.
This time around, Sanders was far more composed. He looked confident in the pocket, showed poise under pressure, and made throws that suggest he’s starting to settle into the speed of the NFL game. For a franchise that’s been searching for consistent quarterback play for what feels like decades, a showing like this - even in a loss - is the kind of thing that gets people talking.
But Sanders wasn’t the only rookie making waves.
On the other side of the ball, linebacker Carson Schwesinger continues to build a Defensive Rookie of the Year case that’s getting harder to ignore. He’s been a constant for this Browns defense all season - a unit that’s been one of the NFL’s most physical and disciplined.
Schwesinger’s stat line tells a big part of the story: 119 combined tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed, and two interceptions. That’s not just productive - that’s impactful.
And he’s not just putting up numbers. He’s doing it with consistency.
Schwesinger has played at least 84 percent of the defensive snaps in every game this season. That kind of availability and reliability is rare for a rookie, especially at a position that demands as much mentally as it does physically.
Right now, he and Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori are neck and neck in the race for DROY honors, and Schwesinger’s tape is doing a lot of the talking.
That brings us to this week’s opponent: the Chicago Bears. During their Wednesday media availability, Bears head coach Ben Johnson didn’t just acknowledge Schwesinger’s play - he went a step further and dropped a comparison that carries serious weight.
Johnson, who coached at Boston College from 2009 to 2011, invoked the name of Luke Kuechly when talking about Schwesinger. That’s not a comparison you throw around lightly.
“He’s a really good player,” Johnson said. “He’s going to be a really good player for a long time as well.
He’s all over the place. Highly instinctive.
Reminds me, I was with Luke Kuechly at Boston College - he reminds me a lot of Kuechly, just watching him on tape. You can’t fool him.
He’s got good eyes. And he’s super fast.”
That’s high praise - and it’s earned.
Kuechly, of course, was a generational linebacker. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, and was named to seven straight Pro Bowls.
His career was short, but his impact was undeniable. The fact that Schwesinger is already drawing those kinds of comparisons speaks volumes about how quickly he’s adapted to the pro game.
For the Browns, this is the kind of foundational rookie class that can change the trajectory of a franchise. Sanders is showing flashes of being the quarterback this team has long needed.
Schwesinger is already anchoring a defense that’s built to win now. And if both continue on this trajectory, Cleveland may have found its cornerstones - one on each side of the ball.
The bar has been set high. But so far, both rookies are meeting the moment.