Browns Roster: Key Defender That Nobody Is Talking Enough About

The Cleveland Browns are doing quite well this season. They just knocked off probably the best team in the AFC North Division, the Baltimore Ravens. Plus, they have beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2-0 divisional record.

That may come into play as the season rolls along.

RELATED: MAY NEVER SEE THIS HIGH A PFF GRADE ON A BROWNS DEFENDER

But keep in mind, except for the Ravens contest, Cleveland hasn’t beaten a team that has a good record. However, as the saying goes, “You can only play who is on your schedule.”

The offense this year is a roller coaster. It was billed as being a short passing game with lots of tight end play and predicated on getting the run game going. The run game is almost non-existent; there aren’t any tight ends on the roster who are good blockers, and the offensive line has had its share of attrition already.

But on the other side of the ball, now that’s a different story.

For the duration of Jim Schwartz’s tenure as the defensive coordinator with Cleveland, he made many improvements and had this group in the Top-5. When Schwartz was passed over for the head coaching gig and decided not to retain his DC job with the Browns, Mike Rutenberg was hired to oversee Schwartz’s architecture.

Immediately, there were quite a bit of questions from the media and Cleveland’s fanbase as to why new head coach Todd Monken would hire a guy to take over the defense who wasn’t a Schwartz disciple. Rutenberg never worked with – or under – Schwartz. And yet Monken stated early that this defense would continue to follow the path that Schwartz laid for the defense.

One of the first things Rutenberg did when he accepted the Browns DC position was get GM Andrew Berry to contact the agent for LB Quincy Williams, who just so happened to be a free agent. Williams had spent part of 2025 on IR because of a shoulder injury, and a lot of teams did not have Williams ranked that high a priority. But Rutenberg coached Williams while with the New York Jets for four seasons.

Rut knew.

And now with the Browns, Williams is balling out.

In six games, Williams has 40 total tackles, with a high of 11 against his former team, the Jets, in the Week 5 loss. He has never been a huge sack artist, mainly because he doesn’t blitz much, but he has a single sack this year and 13.5 for his eight years in the league.

Both Williams and his partner in crime, LB Carson Schwesinger, are playing at a Pro Bowl level, and it is just one-third into the season. But Schwesinger receives the lion’s share of notoriety and accolades since he was named the “NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year” after his rookie season. Folks know his name, and expect great things from him in every game.

But Williams is also having an impressive season, and yet nobody is noticing, or looks at him as “the Browns’ other linebacker.” Schwesinger has natural instincts, a non-stop motor, can recognize the run quickly, and now has a seasoned veteran as a mentor.

The two linebackers combined have 96 total tackles. In every single game this season, one or the other has led Cleveland in tackles. In three games, this duo was 1-2 in total tackles.

Williams is proving to be a great free agent signing by Berry. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Williams was ranked as the #3 linebacker before the Ravens contest, and afterwards, Schwesinger is now ranked #9.

Pre-snap, it is Williams who is moving players around to ensure that they are in the correct positions. It is his experience coming through, and he acts like a coach on the field. He isn’t wearing the green dot, but he is still barking out instructions to his teammates.

He saved his best game of the year against his former team and led the Browns in tackles with 11. Williams was able to force the fumble from TE Kenyan Sadiq in the third quarter when New York was on the 11-yard line while Cleveland S Ronnie Hickman recovered. That play was huge.

Williams leads the league in forced fumbles with three, all in the Jets matchup.

The talented linebacker has great speed (4.59), is a sideline-to-sideline backer, has a never-ending voice on and off the field, and can blitz when needed.

Against the Jets, Williams had a PFF grade of 95.7. That is incredible. In some games, he is the best player on the field for Cleveland. He has shown a nose for the ball, and his motor never unwinds. And to think the Browns got Williams for $13 million on a two-year deal is an incredible bargain.

And he showed his merit this past weekend against division foe Baltimore Ravens. In the first quarter, Baltimore had a first-and-15 as QB Tyler Huntley threw a short pass in the flats to RB Derrick Henry. As the ball was in the air, Williams was already tracking Henry and nailed him for just a two-yard gain. In Quarter 2, the Ravens had a third-and-eight with 10:06 before the half. Huntley sent a short pass to WR Zay Flowers, who had a lot of real estate in front of him if he could get past Williams. The result was a five-yard gain and a subsequent punt.

Williams and Schwesinger combined for a zero-gain run by Henry right before the half as the collision rocked the stadium between the three. With 2:13 before the half, Williams’ number was called on a blitz package as he sent Huntley to the turf for the sack.

He has brought proven production, experience, and versatility to an already good Browns defense. In just his third NFL season, Williams had 110 tackles. Then he reeled of seasons of 106, 139, and 116 before notching just 83 last year where he sat out multiple games. He was named First Team All-Pro in 2023 after his 139-tackle output paired with 15 tackles for loss and 10 batted passes.

Clay Matthews with Tom Cousineau. A duo of great linebackers is in the DNA of the Browns. Schwesinger paired with Williams is just this year’s version.              

What were your expectations when the Browns signed Williams to replace Devin Bush? How are you feeling about him after 6 weeks?