Browns Shouldn't Give Up on Anthony Schwartz
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After a forgettable rookie season due to injuries and a nightmarish sophomore campaign through training camp, Anthony Schwartz has become enemy number one for plenty of fans and a curious amount of media, but if the Cleveland Browns fail to make the playoffs, it won't be as a result of keeping wide receiver Anthony Schwartz over guys angling for the fifth or sixth spot on the depth chart.
Schwartz has struggled with drops in the preseason, which has not only drawn ire from fans including against the Chicago Bears where he was booed off the field, it has been taxing for him individually.
The one person who has not shied away from his support of Schwartz is head coach Kevin Stefanski, who continues to applaud his work ethic and football intelligence, Certainly, being a third-round pick helps Schwartz stick on the roster this year, but the Browns would probably keep him even if he was undrafted.
Schwartz came out at 6' 186 lbs running a 4.27 40-yard dash, a time that was considered slow for him. He's fast, but he has notable size as well. Schwartz will be just 22 years old on September 5th.
Andrew Berry has continually talked about how much the Browns want to get faster across the roster, but especially in the wide receiver room. They desperately want someone who can take the top off a defense and create space for their teammates.
Schwartz could still be playing football at Auburn right now and putting up some great numbers. Instead, he's struggling in the NFL, learning against better competition and presumably receiving better coaching. The Browns understand how valuable age is when it comes to evaluating prospects. Since Andrew Berry took over as general manager, it has been the most consistent aspect of his selection process. It took a weak class full of prospects who missed time due to pandemic for the Browns to draft someone 23 years old. The Browns boast a good amount of talent but entered this week with the youngest roster in the league.
When the 2022 NFL Draft occurred, there were plenty clamoring for receiver prospects coming out of college that are already 24 years old. Some of the players being thrown out now as options to replace Schwartz were far older, including Devon Allen who was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Allen has been to the Summer Olympics twice, running the 110 meter hurdles in both Rio and Tokyo. He is 27 years old and has yet to record a stat in a regular season game, meaning he's done even less than Schwartz.
Maybe a player like Darius Slayton (25) or Tyler Johnson (24), could make a more immediate impact, but does it really matter in 2022? When they would be catching passes from Jacoby Brissett for 65 percent of the season?
Slayton will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, so the Browns would either have to pay him or let him walk for nothing. Johnson is at least under control for 2023, but does he offer the same potential to help the Browns offense that Schwartz does?
If the Browns were pushing for a run to the Super Bowl this year, it might make sense to get someone else, but they aren't. They have used this year to build cap space and are allowing young players to prove themselves in positions ranging from wide receiver to defensive tackle.
Even in his rookie year where Schwartz did basically nothing with the ball in his hands, opponents still had to account for him. His speed creates spacing and forces opponents to back up, which benefits the running game. Teams aren't suddenly going to stop covering Schwartz, assuming he will drop every ball.
Did I mention it doesn't matter what he does with Brissett at quarterback? The Browns have a super young receiver room. Outside of Amari Cooper, they have a group of players auditioning for a role when Deshaun Watson is back for the entire 2023 season.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell, Anthony Schwartz, Michael Woods and Demetric Felton are all draft picks trying to prove they need to be kept around next season. In the event some of them fail, the Browns can invest elsewhere. They could use their second round pick to bring in a rookie ready to make an impact, sign a talented veteran or perhaps both. Free agent help that is more likely to be interested knowing Watson will be available for a full season. The Browns could also make a trade to bring in additional receiver help like they did in adding Cooper.
Even if the Browns determine Schwartz can't play dead next year, what will they have lost? A year with another receiver who isn't likely be in Cleveland in 2023?
No one is arguing Anthony Schwartz hasn't struggled and been downright awful at times. Nevertheless, he was drafted as a developmental prospect and the Browns have no reason to cut bait before the regular season of his second year The upside is significant and even if he ends up failing, the Browns lose little keeping him on the roster through the 2022 season.
