The Browns are not planning to cut wide receiver Anthony Schwartz. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed as much to reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, after the team’s preseason loss to the Bears on Saturday.
Given that Schwartz was selected in the third round of the 2021 draft, Stefanski’s announcement should not come as much of a surprise. However, Schwartz was largely quiet in his rookie year, posting 10 catches for 135 yards and a score while playing one-third of the Browns’ offensive snaps, and he has struggled mightily this preseason.
In Saturday’s matchup with Chicago, the Auburn product dropped three passes, giving him a total of six drops through the club’s three preseason contests. His third drop elicited a chorus of boos from the crowd at FirstEnergy Stadium, and the social media reaction to his performance led to Stefanski’s being asked about the wideout’s job security.
“Respectfully, we’re going to make sure that we deal with things that are important, which are our players and how they respond to these things,” Stefanski said. When asked if Schwartz was at risk of being waived, Stefanski simply said, “no.”
In addition to his draft pedigree, the Browns’ collection of WR talent offers another reason for the team to retain Schwartz. After parting ways with Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Rashard Higgins over the past 10 months, Cleveland’s receiver room boasts little by way of proven talent outside of trade acquisition Amari Cooper. The team has steadfastly maintained that it feels no pressure to acquire another veteran pass-catcher, and at present, the depth chart is topped by Cooper, 2020 sixth-rounder Donovan Peoples-Jones, and third-round rookie David Bell.
Schwartz slots in somewhere behind that trio, along with sixth-round rookie Michael Woods II. So while Schwartz might not see much more playing time in 2022 than he did in 2021, it seems he will at least have a roster spot.
Dude just can’t catch a football, it’s not good when you consistently drop routine passes.
Simply put “he sucks”
Remember last preseason when Ja’Marr Chase had three drops in a game?
Some people prefer cucumber to pickle
There’s a difference this kid has no track record of being able to catch consistently. I wouldn’t cut him yet because you knew drafting him the 3rd that he was going to a multi year project similar to Phillip Dorsetts career path but he definitely has underperformed even lower than thought
Drops more balls than he catches. Schwartz is a liability. It looks like a long-term liability.
The Browns moves at wide receiver haven’t made much sense this entire off-season, thus keeping this guy around fits right in with that.
On the plus side, it is likely that he make take the wrong route to the stadium on game day, drop his bag in the parking lot, and fall to the ground easily when someone come close to him to help pick it up. Other than that, dude is awesome…standing on the sidelines.