5 Cleveland Browns whose stock is up after Week 2 Texans win

5. Cleveland Browns LB Malcolm Smith

The former Super Bowl MVP scored Cleveland’s first interception of the season with a pick of Texans’ backup Davis Mills in the third quarter.

Smith also led the Browns with eight tackles, with one of those going for a loss.

There’s a big leadership void on the field with the Browns missing Anthony Walker, who’s out with a hamstring injury.

Thankfully, the Browns kept Smith around. We talked about linebackers all offseason and became excited when Walker came over from Indy. If Smith didn’t become an afterthought then, he definitely did when the Browns drafted Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Factoring in an expected jump in play for Sione Takitaki and Jacob Phillips, and Smith was just relegated to the old guy that maybe the Browns should keep around for insurance purpose.

Hopefully, Cleveland’s young backers step up in the coming weeks, because there’s certainly opportunity available.

That said, it was the veteran Smith, out there making the play.