The success of the 2026 Cleveland Browns won’t have to hinge as much on the defense as it did in 2025, or at least that’s the hope now that the offense looks so different. With new coaches, a new offensive line, new weapons, and hopefully a revived Deshaun Watson under center, there is a path for legitimate improvement on that side of the ball that could help alleviate a lot of the pressure on the defense.
Cleveland’s defense is returning a lot of last year’s core, except for Myles Garrett of course, so the transition to playing under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg shouldn’t be too painful. The front office focused more on upgrading the offense this offseason, but there is a new member of the defense who should step into a major role right away.
During a recent episode of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast, Lance Reisland spoke highly about new Browns linebacker Quincy Williams. He believes that when this team is in the trenches and times get tough during the season, this is the type of guy you need to help keep the train on the tracks.
“You know what Quincy Williams gives you? Quincy Williams is going to be the same guy Week 9 on Wednesday. What I mean by that is it becomes a drag and you have to have guys that are constant energy in the film room, in the weight room, on the training table, whatever it is,” said Reisland.
Williams had been an anchor for the New York Jets defense over the last five years and should be able to serve as a seamless transition from Devin Bush, who signed with the Chicago Bears this offseason. With Garrett gone, Williams is the most proven veteran in the front seven and will be starting at linebacker alongside a pair of youngsters in Carson Schwesinger and Winston Reid.
Williams is on a reasonable two-year, $13 million deal and at just 30 years old, is still in the prime of his career. It was a wise move by GM Andrew Berry to bring in someone who can replace Bush so seamlessly, and perhaps defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg can tap into a bigger playmaking role for Williams.
The veteran has just 12.5 sacks and one interception in seven years, but he is a tackling machine and stays on the field. Even if he doesn’t put up numbers in those departments, he’s a huge part of this defense already and it’s going to be fun watching Browns fans embrace him.
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