The Browns are less than a month away from players reporting back to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for the beginning of training camp. To prepare for training camp, associate editor Kelsey Russo is putting together a preview for each position on the roster. Catch up on the other position previews on the quarterbacks, defensive line and offensive line. Next up, let's look at the linebackers.
The Linebackers:
Jerome Baker
Devin Bush
Mohamoud Diabate
Jordan Hicks
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
Winston Reid
Carson Schwesinger
Nathaniel Watson
What we know: The Browns will be without one of their key linebackers for the 2025 season, as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list in May 2025, and he will remain on reserve/PUP for the remainder of the 2025 season.
The Browns also made moves during free agency and the draft to add depth to the room, signing Jerome Baker and Devin Bush during free agency and selecting Carson Schwesinger in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The unit now consists of a mix of veteran players and young players, as well as a mix of guys who have been in the system and those who are new.
While he is entering his rookie season with the Browns, Schwesinger has an opportunity to come in and have an immediate impact in the linebacker room. Both teammates and coaches have noted his natural ability to be in the right spot at the right time and to make a play. In OTAs and minicamp, Schwesinger demonstrated how he can get downhill quickly in the Browns' defensive scheme, which is a beneficial factor as a linebacker.
"Carson does a really good job being able to focus on each play and making the next play his best play," linebackers coach Jason Tarver said. "He figures it out, asks great questions and runs to the ball – he's led us in running to the ball and scoops in the spring, which is good because we need to set the tempo. Really impressed by how he goes to the next play and how conscious he is within the play."
The biggest question: Who will step in to fill the role left by Owusu-Koramoah? While the room is anchored by veterans such as Jordan Hicks, Baker and Bush, the linebacker unit has several young players who are looking to create their roles in the room. Both Winston Reid and Nathaniel Watson are entering their second season with the Browns, and Schwesinger will play his first NFL season this fall. Mohamoud Diabate, who is entering his third season with the Browns, continues to establish himself as a contributor, and a player whom Tarver highlighted for his growth during the offseason.
The Browns will also have to establish who will wear the green dot among the linebackers when the regular season begins. During 2024, the green dot was passed around to different players as they dealt with numerous injuries to the linebacker room, but Hicks held that responsibility of helping relay the defensive plays.
See how veterans, young talent and first-round draft pick Carson Schwesinger are stepping into their roles in the Browns' linebacker room
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the third day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 12, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during the third day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 12, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the second day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2025.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the fourth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 3, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during a workout in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 21, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) and Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during the third day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 12, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during the third day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 12, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during the first day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 27, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during a workout in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 21, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during a workout in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 21, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 15, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 6, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 12, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 30, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during fieldwork on the first day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 9, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during fieldwork on the second day of Rookie Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 10, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) and Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 6, 2025.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during fieldwork in Phase II of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 6, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 30, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during the fifth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 4, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during the first day of mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during a workout in Phase I of the offseason at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 23, 2025.
The biggest number: 1. As a unit, the linebackers had just one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during the 2024 season, with Owusu-Koramoah credited with a forced fumble and Reid with a fumble recovery. With a heightened focus on creating takeaways in the 2025 season, there was an added emphasis during OTA and minicamp practices, as they used part of practice to run through a turnover circuit and reviewed film to highlight opportunities where they could have forced a fumble. As they prepare for the 2025 season, that focus will continue in order to make plays and create turnovers for the defense.
The X-Factor: Diabate. Entering his third season with the Browns, Tarver highlighted the progress Diabate made over this offseason by getting into even better shape than he was, as well as his ability to make plays at all three linebacker positions.
"I'm really excited about Mohamoud," Tarver said. "His explosive numbers are through the roof. He's running and he barely looks like he gets tired. He is impressive as heck and now he's playing all three positions. So, when he came in last year, what we do is we give them a home first – one position out of the backers – and he had his one position, and when he went in the game that's where he played. Now, he's playing the other ones. So, very excited where he's going."
Says it all: "I think we've gotten better as a group. Our personality (as a group), they take everybody in. We're all working really well together, and they are all working on learning all the linebacker positions and learning the entire defense, and that's been great. […] We have a lot of guys that could wear the green dot, and that is unique. That doesn't happen all the time." – linebackers coach Jason Tarver on the progress of the linebackers
How many were kept on the initial 53-man roster in 2024: 6
