The Cleveland Browns have spent a lot of the offseason working on their offense. There’s still a long way to go, of course, but with one of the league’s best defenses and one of the worst offenses, it was clear what their focus needed to be.
They’ve added several offensive linemen, and they’re slated to bulk up at other positions in the upcoming draft, especially skill positions. This focus is necessary, but they can’t forget their strength from a season ago.
If the Browns’ offense is going to be successful in 2026 or in the next few years, their defense needs to keep pulling its weight. This should be led by players like Carson Schwesinger, who is coming off a campaign where he won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Analyst and former player Hanford Dixon spoke highly of Schwesinger heading into 2026, outlining his expectations for the second-year athlete.
“The game’s going to slow down a lot for [Carson Schwesinger] this year. Obviously, he was a rookie last year, and he had an outstanding year. We’re expecting nothing less from him this year. We expect him to be an even better player this year because the game’s going to slow down,” Dixon said.
Year 2 Carson Schwesinger is going to hit DIFFERENT.
"The game is going to slow down for him this year."
presented by @FanDuel https://t.co/bygEoJ2Swg pic.twitter.com/LQo4vFSiM4
— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) April 20, 2026
While Schwesinger’s rookie season was impressive, Dixon believes he can improve in Year 2, mainly due to the game being a lot slower for him. This is typically what the most elite NFL athletes say when they’re in a groove, as they can think the clearest and be the most focused when the game is slower for them than normal.
Schwesinger has some great mentors on the roster, especially Myles Garrett, who will continue to help him with his craft. With any luck, he’ll take the leap that Dixon and his teammates are looking for, which should get this team one step closer to relevance and a potential playoff berth in 2026.
The Browns have been stuck for a few years at this point, seemingly unable to get out of their own way and overcome their organizational struggles. Players like Schewesinger should be able to get them out of this rut, especially if he has the necessary support from his teammates and the new coaching staff.
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