Cleveland Browns keeping Ryan Switzer on 2021 roster

The Cleveland Browns re-signed WR/KR Ryan Switzer to a one-year deal.

When the Cleveland Browns lost Jojo Natson early last season, they went after a former rival as a possible replacement. It was early October when the Browns signed Ryan Switzer, who spent the past two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Originally selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of North Carolina, Switzer was traded to the Raiders following his rookie campaign. However, he never made the 53-man roster and was then traded to Pittsburgh ahead of the 2018 campaign.

He stayed in Pittsburgh throughout 2019 but once he lost the primary return job with the Steelers to Ray-Ray McCloud, Switzer was released and subsequently signed with the Browns. Despite the absence of Natson, Switzer never made it to the active roster and spent the majority of his time with his new team on the injured reserve. Still, Cleveland saw enough to warrant bringing him back on a one-year deal.

For his career, Switzer has 67 punt returns for 537 yards and a touchdown — which he scored as a rookie for Dallas. As for kickoffs, he has 61 returns for 1,373 yards. While that’s been the bulk of his touches in the NFL, he does have plenty of talent as a route runner.

Even with that being the case, he’s rarely been used on offense consistently. His most productive campaign in this regard was 2018 when he had 253 yards and a touchdown on 36 receptions.

Looking ahead to 2021, if Switzer is going to make the Cleveland roster, it will have to be as a special teams player.

The problem is, D’Ernest Johnson and Donovan Peoples-Jones have each done well in their respective roles as returners (which is why Switzer never made it to the active roster despite coming back from the IR in December), meaning Switzer has some stiff competition.