The Browns’ defense spent most of Sunday doing just enough to keep New Orleans out of the end zone, then let it slip away at the worst possible time.
Cleveland forced mistakes, stayed on the edge all game, and had the Saints bottled up without a touchdown for most of the afternoon. But the finish was brutal: back-to-back touchdowns, one in the final minute and another in overtime, turned a strong defensive outing into a frustrating one.
A big part of the story was Carson Schwesinger’s day, but the defense as a whole still had plenty to sort through in Week 9 against New Orleans.
Up front, Mason Graham played 52 snaps, which was 69% of the defense’s total, and finished with one tackle, three assists and one quarterback hit. Isaiah McGuire was right behind him at 51 snaps and 68%, adding three assists.
Jared Verse logged 43 snaps, or 57%, with two assists. Mike Hall gave Cleveland one of its few splash plays on the line, posting one tackle, one assist, a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit in 38 snaps.
Sam Kamara was on the field for 36 snaps and recorded one tackle and two assists. Sam Williams played 28 snaps and came away with a quarterback hit and a pass defended.
Derek Barnett also saw 28 snaps and had one assist. Adin Huntington got 23 snaps, though he didn’t register a stat on defense.
Maliek Collins was out this week, and Cleveland has turned what should’ve been a strength at defensive tackle into a bit of a weakness lately. The run defense just isn’t there.
Verse’s afternoon was a mixed bag. On a day where Myles Garrett finally returned for the Rams and had three sacks, I got to watch Jared Verse have a chance at a sack right in front of him, and not come up with it. Verse again ranked toward the bottom of the PFF grades for defenders, and also had an offsides penalty early on.
Even without a defensive stat, Huntington still made his presence felt. Hat tip to Adin Huntington - even though he didn’t log a stat on defense, he forced a fumble on a punt return.
At cornerback, Tyson Campbell was on the field for every snap, playing 75 snaps for 100%. He finished with four tackles, three assists and a fumble recovery.
Denzel Ward played 73 snaps, or 97%, and had two tackles, three assists and a pass defended. Myles Harden was one of the more productive defenders on the day, with 48 snaps, four tackles, one assist, two sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a pass defended.
Mekhi Blackmon saw just five snaps and had one tackle.
The Saints didn’t find the end zone until late, but when they finally did, they made it count. For Cleveland, that’s the part that will sting.
In Other News...
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Los Angeles has been dealing with a wave of injuries, including a setback for Puka Nacua, and that could push the Rams toward adding help at receiver before the trade deadline. Cleveland has a particular interest in how aggressive they get, because the Rams currently hold the 18th overall pick in the 2027 draft, a selection that is slated to land with the Browns. If Los Angeles starts chasing reinforcements, the ripple effects could reach far beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Quarterback Uncertainty Just Got More Frustrating
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The uncertainty lands at a rough time for a team already dealing with broader performance issues, especially on defense, and it only adds to the frustration around a quarterback situation that has lingered too long. For a Browns roster trying to find some traction, the next move under center now feels like part of a much bigger search for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Browns QB Uncertainty Is Suddenly Fueling A New Shedeur Sanders Debate
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The uncertainty has also stirred up new debate around Sanders, whose role now sits at the center of a larger roster conversation. With the NFL trade deadline in play and speculation building about possible quarterback movement, the Browns have not announced any decisions or trades, leaving the situation open and the questions very much alive. [Read more 🡒]