CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns suffocated opponents in 2025, allowing just 283.6 total yards per game. They fielded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett and the Defensive Rookie of the Year in linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Then, the front office flipped the script. They hired Todd Monken as head coach, watched a frustrated Jim Schwartz resign, and brought in Mike Rutenberg to run the league’s most terrifying unit.
Most of the offseason oxygen in Cleveland revolves around fixing an anemic offense and prepping for the inaugural season in a new domed stadium. But championships rely on stops. Rutenberg steps in with a massive responsibility: keep the aggressive Wide-9 front hunting while patching glaring holes in the secondary before free agency opens on March 9.
Running It Back: Rutenberg’s Seamless Transition
You don’t dynamite a foundation that just produced a historic pass rush. Rutenberg built his resume dialing up pressure packages with the Jets and Falcons, and he arrives in Cleveland with a clear directive to let his stars eat. The Browns quickly promoted position coaches Jason Tarver and Ephraim Banda to ensure schematic consistency and keep the locker room locked in.
The transition already holds weight inside the building. Schwesinger logged an absurd 156 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in his debut campaign. He understands the assignment and knows the defense must set the tone early in 2026.
“One of the big things for us is we wanted to keep a lot of the scheme the same. So in terms of that, I don’t expect there to be a lot of changes. For me, I’m just ready to go in there and kind of just build off what we did last year.”
— Carson Schwesinger, Browns Linebacker
Myles Garrett Targets Bruce Smith
Myles Garrett shattered the single-season sack record in 2025. He destroyed offensive tackles week after week, securing his second DPOY award in three years. Now, the 30-year-old edge rusher stares down football immortality.
Garrett sits exactly 75 sacks away from Bruce Smith’s all-time record of 200. Averaging 15 sacks a season over the next five years gets him the gold jacket and the undisputed crown as the greatest pass rusher in NFL history. Rutenberg will funnel the entire pass-rush strategy through Garrett’s unmatched explosion off the edge. You could almost feel the electricity in the air last season every time Garrett put his hand in the dirt; expect Rutenberg to maximize that energy.
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
Even elite units carry flaws. Opposing offenses found blood in the water when Denzel Ward left Week 2 with cramps; Lamar Jackson immediately hunted replacement Cam Mitchell for three second-half touchdowns. General Manager Andrew Berry faces three critical defensive missions before training camp:
- Restock the Cornerbacks: Martin Emerson hits free agency fresh off an Achilles tear. That Week 2 disaster against Baltimore proved that perimeter depth is a five-alarm emergency.
- Find Safety Help: With early draft picks earmarked for the offensive side of the ball, drafting a blue-chip prospect like Caleb Downs feels impossible. The Browns must hit the bargain bins in free agency to solidify the third level.
- Rebuild the Linebackers: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s expected exit from pro football and Devin Bush’s expiring contract leave Schwesinger as the lone anchor in the middle. He will need to step into a massive veteran leadership role immediately.
The defense will dictate the Browns’ 2026 ceiling. If Rutenberg maintains Schwartz’s ferocity and Berry successfully patches the secondary, this unit will drag Cleveland right back into the AFC playoff bloodbath.
