The Cleveland Browns have had a rough season so far, as they are 2-6 despite having one of the best defenses in the league. However, they will look to take advantage of a Jets team that will be reshaping
their own defense after trading away arguably their two best players.
The teams last met towards the end of the 2023 season with the Browns coming out on top by a score of 37-20.
Let’s break down the Browns’ roster going position by position:
Quarterbacks
With Deshaun Watson probably out for the season after re-rupturing his Achilles tendon, the Browns began the year with Joe Flacco at the helm. However, when they opted to trade him to the Bengals after he lost three of his first four starts, this left rookie Dillon Gabriel as the starter.
Gabriel has thrown five touchdown passes and only two interceptions while also losing three of his four starts. He’s averaging just 171 passing yards per game.
Another rookie, Shedeur Sanders, is now the backup, although he hasn’t thrown an NFL pass yet following an underwhelming preseason.
Offensive Line
The Browns have experience and some decent continuity on their line but they haven’t been dominant this year as they face the challenge of blocking for a rookie passer.
The interior trio of left guard Joel Bitonio, right guard Wyatt Teller and center Ethan Pocic has been together a while and is regarded as one of the league’s best. Furthermore, they have all been healthy all season. Bitonio has been to seven pro bowls and Teller has been to three.
Veteran Jack Conklin is also back at right tackle, although he missed a few games through injury. Conklin, a 2020 all-pro, gave up a team-high seven sacks last year.
At left tackle, Dawand Jones was the original starter but the Browns traded for veteran Cam Robinson to replace Jones when he suffered a year ending knee injury.
On the bench, KT Leveston and Cornelius Lucas have had to start six games between them at tackle. The interior backups are Zak Zinter, Teven Jenkins and Luke Wypler. Wypler and Jenkins have seen some time in jumbo packages. Lucas is listed as questionable for Sunday.
Running Backs
Second round rookie Quinshon Judkins had an offseason arrest and didn’t sign his rookie deal until late in the process, but he’s hit the ground running with the Browns. Judkins has almost 500 yards rushing and five touchdown runs, including three in the recent win over Miami.
The backups are another rookie, fourth rounder Dylan Sampson, and Jerome Ford, but neither has had much of an impact in a reserve role. Sampson is averaging less than two yards per carry and Ford has 21 catches but for just 76 yards.
Raheim Sanders is an undrafted rookie who is also on the roster but hasn’t played much.
Pass catchers
The Browns’ passing game was expected to be led by wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who was a pro bowler with 90 catches and over 1,000 yards last season, but his production has been way down. Similarly, tight end David Njoku, who was a pro bowler in 2023, has seen his own production fall off.
Instead, their leading receiver has been rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. with 38 catches and 352 yards. Fannin missed practice on Thursday with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable.
Other receivers in the rotation have included Jamari Thrash, Cedric Tillman and undrafted rookie Isaiah Bond but they all have less than 12 catches. Thrash is still listed as a starter, but Bond’s speed make him an intriguing option to feature more, although that will have to wait because he’s been ruled out due to a foot injury. Tillman has been on injured reserve but practiced this week and could be activated for Sunday. They’ve listed him as questionable.
The Browns also picked up ex-Jet Malachi Corley, although he only has four offensive touches so far. Gage Larvadain rounds out the rotation but is mostly on the roster for special teams.
At tight end, another ex-Jet, Brenden Bates, was recently brought back by the Browns after spending time with the Texans. Blake Whiteheart is their other reserve there.
Defensive Line
After a spectacular five-sack game against New England, Myles Garrett now has 10 on the season as he continues to be the Browns’ top playmaker on either side of the ball.
They don’t have a lot of experience at defensive end apart from Garrett. Alex Wright is the other starter and he is second on the team with nine tackles for loss, including three sacks. Isaiah McGuire and Cameron Thomas are the remaining backups after the Browns traded away Joe Tryon-Shoyinka this week.
Inside, Maliek Collins is second on the team with 3.5 sacks and he starts alongside the fifth overall pick from April’s draft, Mason Graham.
The Browns were considered deep enough on the defensive interior that Jowon Briggs was regarded as expendable before the season with veteran Shelby Harris their main reserve. Cleveland didn’t have a first round pick last season so their second-rounder Mike Hall Jr. was their top selection. He also provides depth along with undrafted rookie Adin Huntington.
Linebackers
With Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on the PUP list, the Browns are relying on rookie Carson Schwesinger to anchor their linebacker unit. The first pick of the second round in April leads them in tackles this season but missed practice during the week because of an ankle issue and is listed as questionable.
Veterans Jerome Baker and Devin Bush are also starting with Mohamed Diabate, who played almost 600 snaps last year, as the main reserve.
Another undrafted rookie, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, is also on the roster but hasn’t contributed.
Defensive Backs
The mainstay in the Browns’ secondary has been cornerback Denzel Ward, who is a four-time pro bowler and led the league with 19 pass breakups last season. He leads the team in that category again, albeit with just five in eight games.
The Browns’ other starter was Greg Newsome II, but they traded him to the Jaguars, acquiring new starter Tyson Campbell in the same deal. Myles Harden is the primary slot corner but he has five defensive penalties.
Martin Emerson would probably also have a role if he wasn’t on injured reserve. Undrafted rookie Dom Jones and a recent signing from the practice squad, Tre Avery, round out this group.
At safety, Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman are the starters. Delpit led the team with 111 tackles in 2024. Rayshawn Jenkins also sees action in three-safety packages, while undrafted rookie Donovan McMillon is mostly just a special teamer.
Special Teams
The Browns have an experienced punter in Corey Borjorquez, but their kicker Andre Szmyt is kicking at the NFL level for the first time in 2025. Borjorquez’s numbers are down this year and Szmyt has missed four kicks, two of which were in the second half of their opener – a one-point loss to the Bengals. He did hit a 55-yard game-winner against the Packers two weeks later, though.
In the return game, DeAndre Carter has gone onto injured reserve so the Browns now list Ford as the kickoff returner and Larvadain as the punt returner. Sampson and Corley have also returned some kickoffs. Nobody has made much of an impact in the return game so far.
McMillon and Avery are the primary punt gunners with McMillon having been productive so far. Jenkins and Diabate have also been productive in kick coverage. Detroit returned a punt for a touchdown against them, though.
