Browns’ Rookie Duo Provides Rare Bright Spots in a Tough Season
It’s been a long, frustrating season in Cleveland - the kind where even the silver linings feel like they come with asterisks. The Browns have struggled to find consistency in just about every phase of the game, and with three weeks left in the regular season, the offense, in particular, has been stuck in neutral more often than not.
Let’s start with the wide receiver group, which has been largely invisible. Jerry Jeudy leads the pack with 43 catches, but the rest of the receiving corps - Cedric Tillman, Isaiah Bond, Jamari Thrash, Malachi Corley, and Gage Larvadain - has combined for just 60 more. That lack of production has made life difficult for whoever’s under center, and unfortunately, the quarterback position hasn’t offered much relief.
The Browns began the year with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, but the change to Shedeur Sanders hasn’t sparked the offense the way fans hoped. Sanders’ minus-0.24 EPA per dropback is the lowest since TruMedia began tracking the stat in 2000.
That’s not just a rough number - it’s historically bad. And while some of that can be pinned on the lack of weapons and protection, Sanders hasn’t done much to elevate the offense either.
The ground game, which had been sputtering for weeks, finally showed signs of life against a vulnerable Buffalo Bills run defense. But just as things looked to be turning, the Browns lost rookie running back Quinshon Judkins to a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula - a brutal blow for a team already short on offensive firepower.
Meanwhile, the defense - which has carried more than its fair share of the load - is starting to show signs of wear. Over the past three games, Cleveland has allowed 490 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. That’s not the kind of trend you want to see as the season winds down, especially with the offense unable to sustain drives or flip field position.
But even in the midst of all the struggles, there have been two rookies who continue to shine: tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
Fannin has quietly become the Browns’ most reliable offensive weapon. He found the end zone twice against Buffalo - once on the ground and once through the air - and now leads the team in receptions (70), receiving yards (701), and touchdowns (5).
That 70-catch mark is more than just impressive - it’s a new franchise rookie record, surpassing Kevin Johnson’s 66 receptions from 1999. And he’s doing it while adjusting to a new quarterback midseason.
Since Sanders took over under center, Fannin has averaged 5.2 catches and 55.8 yards per game. If he keeps that pace through the final stretch, he’ll finish the year with 80 receptions and just over 800 yards - numbers that would put him in rare company in Browns history. Not bad for a rookie tight end in a struggling offense.
Then there’s Schwesinger, who’s been an absolute tackling machine. He racked up 12 more tackles against the Bills, marking his sixth straight game with double-digit tackles - tying Luke Kuechly’s rookie streak from 2012. That’s elite company.
Schwesinger leads all rookies in both total tackles (148) and tackles for loss (11.5), and he’s hit the 10-tackle mark in seven games this season - tied for fifth-most by a rookie since 2000. He’s been a constant presence on the field, logging 96 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, and doing it with a level of consistency and physicality that’s rare for a first-year player.
At this point, Schwesinger is the clear frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s not just putting up numbers - he’s impacting games, anchoring a defense that’s been asked to do far too much this season.
So yes, it’s been a tough year in Cleveland. The offense hasn’t clicked, the quarterback situation remains murky, and injuries have piled up.
But amidst all the adversity, the Browns have found two foundational pieces in Fannin and Schwesinger - rookies who aren’t just surviving, but thriving. And in a season that’s lacked much to celebrate, that’s worth holding onto.