Bryce Young opened the season red-hot, but he came crashing back down to earth in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns. It’s not the 25-year-old quarterback's fault, either.
NFL quarterbacks can rarely function with any semblance of consistency when facing pressure on over 40% of their dropbacks in a game. Over 50%? Forget about it.
The Browns pressured Young on 63% of his dropbacks during Sunday’s 21-18 win at Huntington Bank Field. It was the highest single-game rate by any defense so far this season, per Ben Linsey of SumerSports.
Cleveland’s star-studded defense has had its way with countless opponents over the years, but this was something else.
According to Pro Football Focus, five Browns defenders generated at least five quarterback pressures in a game where Young — the NFL’s passing yardage leader through three weeks — was sacked three times, completed 54% of his throws, and was unable to escape the pocket for a single scramble yard.
Young was completely suffocated — and these five Browns brought the most noise.
Mike Rutenberg's Browns pass rush overwhelmed Carolina from every direction
1. EDGE Jared Verse (6 pressures)
We’re still waiting for Verse’s first sack as a Brown, but the Panthers game was by far his most impactful. Per PFF, Verse led the team with six total pressures, adding five hurries, two run stuffs, and one QB hit.
Browns fans need to see more from their top pass rusher, but the 25-year-old is clearly getting comfortable in defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg’s system.
2. DT Mason Graham (5 pressures)
With all due respect to Verse, Graham has been the Browns’ top game-wrecker through three games. He leads the team in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (6), and is also tied for third in solo tackles (8).
That’s next-level production from a second-year interior defensive lineman.
3. LB Quincy Williams (5 pressures)
Williams has been picked on a bit in coverage this season, but he flashed his elite speed and playmaking ability against the Panthers.
Williams was constantly in the backfield in this one, generating five pressures, five hurries, one tackle for loss, and a team-high six run stuffs.
4. EDGE Isaiah McGuire (5 pressures)
McGuire’s breakout game might have arrived on Sunday. He finished with five pressures, three hurries, one sack, and two tackles for loss against Young and company. He also played a season-high 43 defensive snaps.
The Browns need big things out of McGuire this season with Alex Wright on season-ending injured reserve. Hopefully Sunday was just the beginning. McGuire has been buzzing around for two straight weeks now.
5. DT Maliek Collins (5 pressures)
The veteran had a quiet start to the season after spending most of training camp on the physically unable to perform list. On Sunday, Collins announced his 2026 arrival in a big way.
The big defensive tackle notched five pressures, three hurries, and two QB hits. Young had enough to worry about off the edges with Verse, McGuire, Sam Williams (4 pressures), Derek Barnett (3 pressures), and even Mike Hall Jr. (2 pressures) at times, but the interior pressure from Collins and Graham was what really wrecked the game.
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