BEREA — The moment Carson Schwesinger received the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, like so many other moments that happened in Browns linebacker’s rookie season, was special. Like every special moment that season, it’s also in the rearview mirror for him.
“Yeah, that was pretty cool,” Schwesinger said during the first week of the Browns’ voluntary offseason program. “My whole family was there, which was cool to share that with all them and just to be able to see that’s a great honor. But now I guess the mindset is just what’s next. Keep building off of it.”
There’s quite a foundation off which Schwesinger can build from his rookie season. He led all rookies with 146 tackles, which was also the most by a Cleveland rookie in the expansion era, and 11 tackles for loss.
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He led the NFL with a streak of six consecutive games with double-digit tackles, and he finished the season with seven double-digit tackle games.
Schwesinger’s season wasn’t just about tackles, either. He added 2.5 sacks and two interceptions, making him one of two rookies to have at least two in each category, and the first since Detroit Lions star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
Browns coach Todd Monken got two up-front views of Schwesinger while he was the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator. The linebacker from UCLA’s 10 solo tackles, 16 combined tackles and two tackles for loss against the Ravens were the most he had against any team, and he also had an interception and a pass defensed.
“I remember being in the draft meetings at the place I was previously and them talking about Carson,” Monken said this week. “I, obviously, I didn’t do it as the offensive coordinator. I remember them speaking of what his superpower was, who he was. And then to see it when we played against them was impressive. Run, chase, hit, very instinctual, loves football, outstanding leader. All of those things. And you’re like, ‘Well, they were right.’ I’m damn glad he’s a Brown.”
So what does a second-year Schwesinger look like? Well, that’s where the mind can really wander to big things depending on the leap he takes.
Pro Bowl? Sure. All-Pro? Potentially. That’s all the end result of whatever improvements Schwesinger undergoes over the next nine months.
Schwesinger is focused on the mental part — not surprising for a former biochemistry major. The physical part will take care of itself through the natural maturation and growth within a true NFL strength and conditioning program.
“Yeah, I think there’s a lot of things to get better at, whether it’s just the preparation throughout the week, game week and figuring out really what to watch, how to watch film and things like that,” Schwesinger said. “But even just at this time, whether it’s improving the football knowledge football intelligence, right? Or just finding better ways to attack the ball and really get those punchouts. I think that’s something really going to work on this year. Just continuing to grow in terms of patience behind the ball and being able to see things and being ready by the snap.”
A coaching change can sometimes be an artificial road block thrown up in front of a player’s development. That’s especially true if there’s a true schematic change.
Although the Browns changed head coach and defensive coordinator, what new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg intends to run is in the same schematic family as the previous system. More important than that, Monken retained all of the defensive position coaches, including linebacker coach Jason Tarver.
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Schwesinger and Tarver bonded in his rookie season, in part because of their California and UCLA connections. Having Tarver back has given him someone with intimate knowledge of what he did as a rookie, which provides a much deeper base of information to help properly develop him in year two.
“Yeah, I think the continuity is extremely helpful and, for me specifically, having Tarv’s great,” Schwesinger said. “You come in, you already have that connection with the coach and you know each other, and I think that’s really helpful in being able to build.”
That build has already started, as the Browns wrapped up the first week of the first phase of the offseason program. This part of the program is exclusively meetings, rehab and strength and conditioning.
However, this is the part of the program Schwesinger never participated in as a rookie, since he wasn’t drafted until the end of April. Now he gets a chance to use this part of the program as well to help further his development heading into that important second season.
“I think the beginning of the offseason was just getting healthy and getting the body right again,” Schwesinger said. “I think that rookie year’s a long year. You don’t really get a break from college season to the training to draft to everything like that. So really just get the body back to healthy, and now it’s just the same thing as always. Trying to find everything that I can get better at and finding ways to do that throughout this process.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Carson Schwesinger building up for encore to rookie season for Browns
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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