Browns star Carson Schwesinger hopes 'nothing changes' under new DC Mike Rutenberg originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After a 2025 season that saw the Cleveland Browns defense reach historic heights, the departure of Jim Schwartz sent a ripple of anxiety through the Dawg Pound. But if you’re looking for a panic button, don't ask Carson Schwesinger.
The reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is counting on new DC Mike Rutenberg to keep the unit running as usual. Speaking on NFL Network’s The Insiders, Schwesinger echoed the "don't fix what isn't broken" sentiment originally voiced by new head coach Todd Monken at his introductory press conference.
"One of the big things for us is we wanted to keep a lot of the scheme the same," Schwesinger told Tom Pelissero and Judy Battista. "So in terms of that, I don't expect there to be a lot of changes."
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It’s easy to see why Schwesinger is rooting for continuity. In his debut campaign, the UCLA product exploded for 156 tackles and 11 tackles for loss, blossoming into the perfect secondary punch to Myles Garrett’s Defensive Player of the Year dominance.
"For me, I'm just ready to go in there and kind of just build off what we did last year and really keep the defense rolling," Schwesinger added.
While Rutenberg arrives from Atlanta with his own ideas, his mission is clear: keep the league’s most aggressive front-four attacking while letting stars like Schwesinger play free. For a Browns team entering a new era under Monken, having their young cornerstone on board with the vision is a major win this offseason.
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