Could Browns’ Carson Schwesinger Enter the Defensive Player of the Year Race?

The Cleveland Browns’ reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger, continues to impress.

The X Factor

In the Browns' Week 6 matchup against division rival Baltimore, Carson Schwesinger was the X factor in the team's win. Despite entering the game listed as questionable with an ankle sprain, Schwesinger recorded 13 tackles. Most importantly, Schwesinger forced running back Derrick Henry to fumble, setting up Cleveland’s game-tying touchdown.

The performance against the Ravens is not a one-off, either. Schwesinger has 56 total tackles through six games.  That averages 9.3 tackles per game, approximately matching Luke Kuechly’s career average. Maintaining that pace over a full 17-game season would put Schwesinger at roughly 159 tackles. Schwesinger has also added quarterback pressure, recording a strip-sack in the Browns’ Week 5 matchup against the Jets.

While Schwesinger has been impressive throughout the 2026 season and has largely picked up where he left off in 2025, his recent two-week stretch of 21 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a sack may strengthen his case for another individual honor.

Time for More Hardware? 

Schwesinger already emerged in 2025 as one of the league's best defenders, but his recent production, despite injury, may put him in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Schwesinger has been nothing short of elite in the middle of the Browns’ defense over the last few weeks. If Schwesinger can keep playing at this level, even with a bad ankle, the illustrious Defensive Player of the Year award could be within reach.

History isn't exactly on Schwesinger's side, as pass rushers dominate the award.  Luke Kuechly was the last off-ball linebacker to win Defensive Player of the Year, earning the honor in 2013, when he played in all 16 games and recorded two sacks, four interceptions, and 156 combined tackles. Notably, Kuechly won the award in his second NFL season, the same stage of his career that Schwesinger has reached.

Patrick Surtain II is the most recent non-edge defender to win the award, winning it in 2024 with 45 combined tackles, four interceptions, and 11 passes defended. Recent voting trends favor pass rushers like current betting favorite Will Anderson Jr., making it a tougher path for Schwesinger as an off-ball linebacker.

However, if Carson Schwesinger stays healthy and sustains his recent elite play, he could give the Luke Kuechly comparisons even more weight. Like Kuechly, Schwesinger could follow a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign by claiming the NFL’s top defensive honor in his second season.