Anthony Schwartz’s battle to stay on the Cleveland Browns roster hit another roadblock after he left practice early on Sunday with an apparent injury.
Schwartz left practice early, walking into the facility with trainers, per reporters on-site. The team did not immediately disclose what Schwartz was dealing with but he’s been dealing with some hamstring issues.
Schwartz is fighting for a roster spot and has so far been unimpressive with his opportunities in the preseason. He has five catches for 40 yards and has been massively overshadowed by Austin Watkins Jr. and rookie Cedric Tillman, among others.
The final preseason game for the Browns against the Kansas City Chiefs could be very important for Schwartz as he looks to earn a roster spot. If he is forced to sit out with an injury, it could mean the end of his time with the Browns.
Anthony Schwartz Has Been Given Chances With Browns
The Browns drafted Schwartz in 2021 in the third round and he has just 14 catches in two seasons for 186 yards. His tenure with the Browns has been defined by his miscues, drops and inability to stay on the field.
Despite his struggles, the Browns have decided to stick by Schwartz, hoping that he could put the pieces of his game together so that they could utilize his world-class speed. He hasn’t shown that progression but the Browns praised him for his resilience through the tough times.
“The one thing about Anthony is we know he’s had some tough times along the way since he’s been here at Cleveland, and he’s been resilient,” receivers coach Chad O’Shea said. “He really has. And that’s one of the things that I think he’s had to learn how to do, is to bounce back from maybe some adversity. So that’s the good part, is he’s been through some adversity. He’s already had some adversity at this camp with injuries and maybe not being as consistent on the field as he wants to be.”
Resilience will only take a player so far and Schwartz has some real competition if he wants to stay on the Browns’ roster.
Austin Watkins Making Case For Roster Spot With Browns
What has made the battle for a roster spot even tougher for Schwartz is the emergence of some of the Browns’ young pass-catchers, most notably Watkins. The Browns signed Watkins in late July after stints in the USFL and CFL.
Watkins has 15 catches, 245 yards and 2 touchdowns so far in the preseason, making a statement that he belongs on an NFL roster. The majority of his production came against the Philadelphia Eagles, with Watkins catching seven passes for 139 yards with one touchdown.
“I think you saw last night some impressive route running and some of the techniques that he’s used,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “You see it right from the practice field, right from the one on ones the other day in Philly, right into the game tape. So I think he’s done a nice job running routes. Been very dependable catching the ball as well.”
The Browns have some tough decisions to make in their receiver corps. Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Elijah Moore are locks, as is Tillman, who was a third-round pick this year. Cleveland will also have to assess Marquise Goodwin’s situation. Goodwin has been out since the start of camp with blood clots and his return timeline is unknown.
Along with Schwartz and Watkins, David Bell, Jaelon Darden, Jakeem Grant Sr. and Mike Harley Jr. are also looking to earn their spots.
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Browns Receiver on Chopping Block Leaves Practice With Injury