Browns Training Camp Preview: Linebacker Room Flexes Surprising Depth

What To Know

Even with the unfortunate absence of Owusu-Koramoah for the season, the Browns can tout some respectable depth at linebacker for the first time in a long time. The burden of filling JOK's shoes will fall largely on Schwesinger.

As the first pick of the second round, Schwesinger comes with a ton of excitement to his game. His ranginess was on display already during spring work, but it's also his intangibles that drew him to Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski.

The UCLA product began his college career as a walk-on before eventually earning a scholarship from the program and the status of captain from his teammates. Both accomplishments are a testament to his gritty attitude, something fans will pick up on pretty early on in camp.

Schwesinger has plenty of veteran leadership to tap into as he adjusts to the NFL. Jordan Hicks is healthy and back in the fold this season, ready to assume a leadership role on that side of the ball once again.

Devin Bush is also back from last year, albeit facing a legal situation via an assault charge in Pittsburgh by his girlfriend back in May. His pre-trial hearing has officially been set for August 15 and then Cleveland will get a better sense of what, if any, discipline the former first-round pick may face.

On the field, though, Bush filled in valiantly at linebacker as both Hicks and Owusu-Koramoah dealt with injury issues. If injuries are a problem again, having Bush around could be invaluable.

The addition of Cleveland native Jerome Baker was an under-the-radar move by Berry this offseason. At 28, Baker continues to be an effective defender in coverage and can diagnose plays quickly. Baker feels like a bonus player for this unit, which also has Mohamoud Diabate returning from a productive season last year.

Oh, and key special teamer Winston Reid figures to be in the mix, as well. For the first time in a while, the Browns may have some difficult decisions to make in the linebacker room.

What's the Word?

Linebackers coach Jason Tarver on losing Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for the 2025 season:

"Oh yeah, no, whenever we put anything in the linebacker text message area, I try to put lots of things in there. Jeremiah's the first one to comment, which makes us happy. We miss him, we love him and his progression to become everything from wearing the green.to you name it last year, really proud of him for that. And what's helped is our younger players in the room watch that. So he helped. We know the process because Jeremiah went through it. And so for Mohamoud and Nate and Winston and our rookies, they've seen it. And so Jeremiah's given us that. He's shown us the process, so now we can keep looking through it."