It was yet another bleak outing for the Cleveland Browns, with Week 16 bringing another loss to a team that clearly cannot wait to hang up their cleats and wash away this 2024 campaign.
The 3-12 Browns had a ton to evaluate in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals, with perhaps no bigger evaluation looming than their look at Dorian Thompson-Robinson as starter for the first time all season after getting a full week of starting reps in practice. That evaluation went extremely awry, and Cleveland was definitely left with more questions than answers after that performance.
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But, there are younger players that the Browns had to evaluate in Week 16 as well, and that includes their rookie class from 2024. They didn't have a first round pick in that draft, but Cleveland still snagged a few key starters such as Mike Hall Jr. and Jowon Briggs in the draft.
Luckily for Cleveland, it seems like that duo is primed to add to an already formidable defensive line after their joint performance in Week 16 against Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offensive line.
Mike Hall Jr. and Jowon Briggs provide hope for Browns in 2025 and beyond
Hall managed to record a sack and a stuff against the Bengals in addition to five total tackles, while Briggs pitched in with multiple pressures as well. One pressure led to a strip sack from Isaiah McGuire, showing how he was able to contribute even without recording a sack of his own.
If Hall and Briggs turn out to be hits on the D-line, that helps to reinforce a line that's rarely needed help given the presence of Myles Garrett.
Their youth is a huge plus, though, and given Garrett's recent comments about his reluctancy to commit to stay with the Browns long term if they don't do more to becoming a winning football team again, it's a plus to also have young defensive linemen ready to step in if he's no longer on the team. Plus, with the teams' cap restrictions through 2026, Garrett might have no choice but to walk.
It's a stretch to think that far ahead, but it's worth acknowledging these two for playing as hard as they did in Week 16 despite there being no clear path to victory with Thompson-Robinson's poor play and with the Browns' offensive line completely collapsing against Cincinnati. Hall and Briggs will continue to be rookies to watch over the last two games of the Browns' season in 2024.