The Browns have spent enough time in rebuild mode to know the difference between promising and real. Right now, Cleveland looks a lot closer to the second category.
This is one of the NFL’s youngest rosters, with only two players over 30 - Maliek Collins and Michael Burton - and that youth comes with actual substance. The Browns aren’t being framed as a team chasing the No. 1 overall pick this year.
They’re still not a finished product, but they should be in the fight every week. The offense has been upgraded, and the defense remains the steady hand.
A big reason for that optimism is the 2025 NFL Draft class. In just one season, that group already looks like it could reshape the franchise. Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. all gave Cleveland something to build on, and Carson Schwesinger has pushed himself into the center of the conversation.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox had to sort through a crowded field when naming the Browns’ most promising building block, but he settled on Schwesinger, who qualified because he did not make the Pro Bowl or All-Pro team last year.
"To be perfectly honest, Schwesinger will likely have a hard time replicating his rookie success now that Myles Garrett is no longer at the heart of the Cleveland Browns' defense," Knox wrote. "Still, it's impossible to ignore the production, versatility, leadership, and impact Schwesinger had this past season.
He suffered a quad injury late in the year and landed on injured reserve ahead of the season finale. Yet, he managed to rack up 156 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and two interceptions in 16 games."
That production speaks for itself, but the deeper numbers back it up too. Pro Football Focus gave Schwesinger a 74.4 grade, which ranked 21st out of 88 qualifiers. For a rookie, that’s strong territory.
He also showed up as one of the league’s surest tacklers. Among 82 linebackers with at least 50 tackles last season, SIS ranked Schwesinger 13th with a 3.3 percent missed or broken tackle rate.
Coverage is where the next step has to come. Schwesinger allowed a 104.0 passer rating in his coverage area in 2025, and the Browns will need that number to come down. Devin Bush, who is no longer with the team, gave up a 64.2 passer rating in his coverage area last season, and Cleveland will be looking for Schwesinger to take on that responsibility now.
The bigger picture is hard to miss. The Browns have a young core that should keep getting better in 2026 and beyond, and Schwesinger looks like he could be the quarterback of that defense.
In Other News...
Browns Still Have One Defensive Hole Andrew Berry Cant Ignore
The Browns addressed one cornerback need when they sent Greg Newsome II to Jacksonville for Tyson Campbell and draft pick swaps in October, but the move did not solve everything in Clevelands secondary. The bigger lingering issue is at nickel corner, where the team still does not have a clear starter and may need to keep searching if it wants the back end of the defense to feel settled.
That search could push Andrew Berry toward the trade market, with former Pro Bowler Kenny Moore II and Denvers JaQuan McMillian among the names being discussed. McMillians situation is especially intriguing because he is under a restricted free agent tender, which could make him available if the Browns are willing to pay up, and Cleveland has the kind of future draft capital that could get a conversation started. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Just Got A New Reason To Believe In Jared Verse
Jeremy Fowlers latest poll of league scouts and executives offered a useful snapshot of where Jared Verse stands as he settles into the Browns long-view plan after the Myles Garrett trade. Verse was the top honorable mention in the pass-rusher rankings, a sign that evaluators already see him as one of the leagues rising edge threats even if he did not crack the top 10.
For Cleveland, that kind of recognition matters because the trade was always about betting on upside and timeline as much as present-day production. Garrett still sits at the top of the position, but Verses profile gives the Browns another reason to believe the move could pay off down the road, especially if his game keeps expanding the way scouts expect. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Just Gave Browns Fans A New Reason To Doubt Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers is already offering a glimpse of what Pittsburghs offense might look like under Mike McCarthy, and for Browns fans, it sounds a lot like familiar territory. Rodgers said the Steelers will be running mostly the same ideas he and McCarthy used together before, just with different terminology, which matters because Clevelands defense has a track record of making that kind of quick-passing, timing-based attack uncomfortable.
Thats the part Browns fans can latch onto as the teams head into 2026 with new head coaches on both sidelines. Pittsburgh has tried to give Rodgers more help with Michael Pittman Jr. and DK Metcalf, but the bigger questions still hang over an aging quarterback, an unproven offensive line and McCarthys ability to manage it all. Cleveland, even after losing Myles Garrett, still looks built to make the Steelers work for every clean throw, and that should keep this matchup interesting. [Read more 🡒]