Players to watch this weekend in Cleveland

OLBs Brian Burns & Kayvon Thibodeaux

Heading into the season, a lot of the conversation surrounding the Giants defense focused on the team’s pass rush. Outside linebacker Brian Burns was the team’s big offseason acquisition, and pairing him alongside Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence gave the Giants their most talented defensive line in a long time.

Burns has three total pressures over the first two games while a defensive pass interference call against Dru Phillips last week took what would have been the outside linebacker’s first sack as a Giant of the board. On the other end, Thibodeaux has totaled four pressures thus far this season, including three against the Commanders. Both outside linebackers will look to register their first sacks of the season this weekend.

“I think Thibs had a great game,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. “I do. I think he made major strides from Week 1 to Week 2. He challenged himself to come out here and work and prepare. You felt the urgency from him after Week 1, and it shows, with a total unit. Go look at last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday’s practice and watch KT. Then turn on the tape on Sunday, and it’s going to show up. Really, really pleased with him and his approach last week. Burnsy, when we get the opportunities, we’ve got to take advantage of them. There’s a lot of chipping going on. Last week, in some of those situations, we were spying, which they end up having six guys for three (rushers), five guys for three (rushers), whatever that might be.

“So, I think Thibs got a little bit more of those one-on-ones than possibly Burnsy did. But, again, he tried to make the most of it. He showed up there late when we got the defensive penalty, the holding call on Dru (Phillips). Had a sack there that got negated. Just continue with both those guys. Stay on the attack. Stay on the attack. You don’t know when all those opportunities are going to come all the time. Make sure we’re ready to capitalize on them when they come.”

Through the first two games of the season, the Browns have allowed eight sacks, the fourth-highest total in the NFL, in addition to 25 quarterback hits. Now part of that is likely due to injuries along Cleveland’s offensive line, as tackles Jack Conklin (knee) and Jedrick Wills (knee) have yet to make their 2024 debuts. Both players were at Wednesday’s practice, with Conklin being listed as a full participant while Wills was limited. Dawand Jones, who started the first two games at right tackle, did not practice Wednesday because of his own knee injury.

Through the first two games of the season, the Giants have had three players on the field for every defensive snap – linebacker Bobby Okereke, cornerback Tae Banks, and the rookie safety. Nubin has recorded 11 total tackles (eight solo) to start off his NFL career while lining up all over the field. Additionally, the 23-year-old safety has given up just two receptions for 29 yards on 68 coverage snaps.

“Both of those guys care,” Bowen said about Nubin and fellow rookie Dru Phillips. “They’re passionate about football. They want to learn. They want to get better. They’re different in their approach and how they learn, leadership and where they’re at really coming into this thing. But, both are valuable pieces to us right now and I think they’re doing a good job for being young.”

The Browns come into this weekend’s matchup with some questions at the tight end position. Starting tight end David Njoku caught four passes for 44 yards before an ankle injury forced him out of the game. Njoku missed Cleveland’s Week 2 contest and did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, as head coach Kevin Stefanski deemed it “unlikely” that the veteran is able to suit up Sunday. In Njoku’s absence, veteran Jordan Akins has caught four passes for 37 yards. Jaguars safeties Andre Cisco and Antonio Johnson each registered five tackles in last week’s game against the Browns.