The Cleveland Browns are officially out of the postseason after Sunday’s 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
With a month left to go in the regular season, the Browns currently hold the fourth-overall pick in April’s upcoming draft. They’ve still got playoff teams in the Bears, Bills, and Steelers left on their schedule, as well as a rematch with a Cincinnati Bengals team that they lost to in the season opener. The way the Browns have played at times this season could lead one to believe the Browns win three of those games, and the way they played on Sunday could convince one they’ll lose all four.
It’ll be a consequential last month of the season in Cleveland, even with the postseason officially out of the question.
Let’s dive in to how the team used its’ personnel during Sunday’s loss.
The 100%ersOffense (4): OT Cam Robinson, OT KT Leveston, G Joel Bitonio, G Teven JenkinsDefense (2): S Ronnie Hickman, LB Carson Schwesinger
Jenkins played all of Cleveland’s offensive snaps in his first start for the team, alongside three other offensive linemen. Shedeur Sanders was the only quarterback to play for the Browns on Sunday, but played just 97% of the total snaps.
Offense
Harold Fannin Jr. once again led all Browns skill position players with 90% of the snaps on Sunday, and played almost twice as much as the Browns’ other two tight ends — Blake Whiteheart (42%) and David Njoku (9%) — combined. Njoku’s snap share was impacted by a knee injury that he suffered in the first quarter of Sunday’s game.
Four Browns wide receivers played over 40% of the Browns’ offensive snaps. Jerry Jeudy (88%) led the pack, with Cedric Tillman (64%) being the clear second option per usual. Isaiah Bond (48%) and Gage Larvadain (42%) played at a very similar rate beyond the top two, while Malachi Corley (6%) played very sparingly due to a concussion.
In the Browns’ offensive backfield, Dylan Sampson returned to primary backup duties, taking 38% of the snaps at running back. That, of course, trailed fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins’ 46% snap share, and placed him ahead of veteran Jerome Ford’s 19% share.
On the offensive line, Luke Wypler played 35% of the Browns’ offensive snaps at center, filling in after starting center Ethan Pocic (65%) suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
Defense
As star defensive end Myles Garrett chases the NFL’s single-season sack record, his snap share has ticked up. After hovering between 70-80% for most of the Browns’ first 11 games of the season, Garrett played 91% of the snaps in the loss to the 49ers last week, and played 89% on Sunday in the loss to Tennessee. He recorded another sack to bring his season total to 20, and put him just three shy of the record with four games to go.
Elsewhere at defensive end, Alex Wright reclaimed his starting role in his return from injury, playing 65% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps. That bumped backups Cameron Thomas and Isaiah McGuire down to 30% and 21% snap shares, respectively.
On the defensive line, Mason Graham (68%) maintained lead duties as usual, but with Maliek Collins now done for the season with a knee injury, the depth behind Graham got shaken up. Shelby Harris (58%) and Sam Kamara (50%) both played at least half of the Browns’ snaps, while Mike Hall Jr. (41%) also got in the mix.
Special teams
Rookie Donovan McMillon (80%) played by far the most special teams snaps of any Browns player on Sunday, while Blake Whiteheart (66%) was also among the Browns’ most active special-teamers despite the elevated role on offense. Cameron Thomas (69%), Rayshawn Jenkins (60%), Ronnie Hickman (60%), and D’Angelo Ross (57%) all also played at least 20 special teams snaps against the Titans.