Cleveland Browns: Studs and duds in Week 2 reality check

Cleveland Browns Dud: Anthony Schwartz

When the Cleveland Browns selected wide receiver Anthony Schwartz out of Auburn in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, it was a glimpse towards the future at the wide receiver position for the team. With the futures of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry with the team possibly in question beyond this season, the ushering in of younger receivers has begun to try to find players that will be around for the long-term.

After two weeks, however, Schwartz has shown that he has a long way to go before the team can look to him as a solidified starter and face of the team at wide receiver. While he has seen more playing time the first two weeks than expected, largely due to the absence of OBJ, who is still recovering from ACL surgery, and Landry, who left in the first quarter of the Week 2 game against the Texans, he still has a lot to prove if he wants to remain in the lineup when those two players return.

In the second quarter of Sunday’s game, Schwartz made perhaps his most rookie-esque play of the young season. Baker Mayfield threw a pass to Schwartz, who stopped on the route, letting the pass go directly to Texans safety Justin Reid for an interception. It was the second instance in two weeks of Schwartz stopping on a route, with the one in Week 1 resulting in a missed touchdown.

Schwartz’s excellent Week 1 was not followed with a similar performance in Week 2. If the interception could come off of Mayfield’s stat line and instead go onto the rookie wideout’s, it would be more apropos. While the Browns won this game, Schwartz will have to be much better if they want to have sustained success this season.