Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is unlikely to play again.
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Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is unlikely to play again.
Things do not appear to be trending in the right direction for Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who may be done in the NFL.
Owusu-Koramoah, a Pro Bowler in 2023 and one of the pillars of Cleveland’s defense, has not played since a violent collision in October 2024. He was carted off the field and ultimately missed the remainder of the season, then all of 2025, with a neck injury.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported earlier in the week that “it’s doubtful at best that he’ll ever make it back to the playing field.”
Browns general manager Andrew Berry did not provide a positive update on Owusu-Koramoah when asked about the linebacker’s potential return.
“I’d say this: We are dealing with Jeremiah from month to month,” Berry said Tuesday at the scouting combine. “I’m not necessarily overly optimistic, but there isn’t a hard deadline where we have to make some type of binding decision.”
Browns Extended Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Part of the reason there’s a lack of urgency around reaching a decision on Owusu-Koramoah is that he’s under contract with the Browns through the 2027 season. He signed a three-year extension with the Browns in August 2024 worth $12.5 million per year, with $20 million fully guaranteed at signing. He has $11.031 million of his salary guaranteed for 2026.
Owusu-Koramoah has not spoken directly about his injury or NFL future, just vaguely referencing the news on social media. Shortly after being ruled out last season, he released a heartfelt letter.
“To the Cleveland Browns fanbase and my supporters worldwide—thank you for your patience in my silence,” Owusu-Koramoah wrote. “From day one, you embraced me as more than a player, but also as a brother and young man with purpose.
“While I won’t suit up this season, I’m focused on what I can control—my healing, my mindset, and my faith. The body may rest, but the calling never sleeps. I’ve given my heart to this game. I don’t know what’s next, but I’ll continue trusting my medical team, serving the community, and backing my brothers on the field.”
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Owusu-Koramoah quickly made a name for himself in Cleveland but took his game to a new level in 2023. He totaled 101 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and six passes defensed.
Owusu-Koramoah would have been a perfect fit next to Carson Schwesinger, who exceeded expectations after being selected in the second round last season by the Browns. Schwesinger started 16 games as a rookie and quickly became the defense’s tone-setter, leading the team with 156 tackles — sixth-most in the NFL — while adding 2.5 sacks, three passes defensed, and two interceptions. His breakout season earned him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The Browns have an elite defense built around Myles Garrett, with Schwesinger, Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit providing impact across the field. The addition of Owusu-Koramoah alongside Schwesinger would have given Cleveland one of the league’s most dynamic second-level pairings. But it does not appear that the partnership will come to fruition.