The Cleveland Browns suffered a crushing 32-13 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8, a stark departure from their competitive showing against the Dolphins just seven days earlier.
Cleveland now enters its bye week with a disappointing 2-6 record after a game that remained competitive through halftime before unraveling completely in the second half.
The Browns trailed just 9-7 at the break, but New England’s offense overwhelmed them after intermission, exposing defensive vulnerabilities that proved costly.
Beyond the lopsided defeat, the Browns face a potentially significant setback with second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger dealing with what appears to be a serious ankle injury.
“Browns LB Carson Schwesinger, one of the best rookies in a stellar class, is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, source said,” NFL Insider Ian Rapoport revealed. “He’ll have an MRI, but those are typically 4-6 week injuries. He left the locker room in a boot.”
#Browns LB Carson Schwesinger, one of the best rookies in a stellar class, is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, source said.
He’ll have an MRI, but those are typically 4-6 week injuries. He left the locker room in a boot. pic.twitter.com/fFP43akoBS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 26, 2025
The UCLA product left the field in the fourth quarter after being rolled up on during a play, visibly struggling to put weight on his leg.
Schwesinger had been performing well before the injury occurred, recording his first interception of the season and contributing five tackles against the Patriots.
The rookie has established himself, without a doubt, wearing the green dot and demonstrating strong situational awareness alongside natural leadership qualities.
His absence would create a noticeable void in the linebacker corps, particularly given his growing role in communicating defensive adjustments and alignments.
The Browns plan to conduct further evaluations on Monday as they begin their bye week.
The timing offers Cleveland an opportunity to assess Schwesinger’s recovery timeline and explore depth options at linebacker.
Losing a key defensive contributor complicates an already challenging season for a team searching for answers heading into the second half.
NEXT: Browns Have Bigger Problem Developing After Loss To Patriots
