Recently, much of the talk around Cleveland Browns training camp continues to evolve around the quarterback room and battle. While that makes sense, to an extent, this team is about ready to open their preseason and fans should be watching one rookie much closer than they've been doing in camp.
As Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer noted in one of his recent columns, Browns fans need to lock eyes onto rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger rather than buzzing about Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders (who are banged up by the way).
"If Browns fans want some reason for optimism, they should watch second-round LB Carson Schwesinger in the preseason opener this weekend," Breer wrote.
Browns fans need to switch their attention from Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel to Carson Schwesinger
I understand the need to know what's happening in the quarterback room, especially when it's the Browns. After all, the entire quarterback situation, as a whole, has become just plain weird. Some might argue it's actually quite funny.
But, this team still has the potential to make some noise on defense. And, that's where they're going to need to make their hay if Cleveland has any shot at competing in the AFC North this year. A huge part of that defensive noise will very likely come at the hands of Schwesinger, whom the Browns drafted high in the second round and didn't waste time handing him a fully-guaranteed contract.
"I had a scout tell me before the draft that he was studying another defensive player at UCLA, and it was a real challenge to evaluate him because Schwesinger seemed to swallow every play up," Breer went on.
"That heat-seeking-missile dynamic’s already showing at Browns camp. And he could wind up with the green dot on his helmet, as the team’s defensive play-caller."
If this team's quarterback room doesn't pan out, at least the Browns look like they hit a home run with Schwesinger. He's got experts buzzing, and for good reason.
To have your second-round pick come in and immediately become the defense's signal caller is a massive win for this front office; a front office that's often been under scrutiny in recent years.
Schwesinger's first opportunity to shine will come Friday against the Carolina Panthers.