4 Cleveland Browns we can safely call busts

Andrew Berry has had some hits in the NFL Draft but heading into 2023, it's safe to say these four selections have been busts

Overall, Andrew Berry has done a very good job as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns. He's made some solid draft picks including Greg Newsome, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Having said that, there have been some misses as well by him — and even more from his predecessor, John Dorsey. As we await the 2023 season, let's take a look at four players that seemed to be solid selections but are now clearly in the bust category.

4 Cleveland Browns we can safely call busts

4. Demetric Felton, RB/WR

Donovan Peoples-Jones was added in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and it was clear right away that he was a steal. He had 304 yards on just 14 receptions, which was an average of 21.7 yards per reception.

The excitement he generated had fans excited when Berry added another potential playmaker in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. This time, he took Demetric Felton out of UCLA who played both wide receiver and running back for the Bruins.

Cleveland has given him more snaps as a slot receiver than a traditional running back but after two seasons, he's primarily been a return man. Unfortunately, he hasn't really impressed in that role. He averages just 6.9 yards per punt return and 18.3 on kickoffs. Throw in the fact that he has five fumbles and a couple of muffed punts in his short stint and it's safe to say Felton is not the steal some hoped he would be.

3. Greedy Williams, CB

The year before Andrew Berry took over, John Dorsey was trying to build a Super Bowl team. He just swung a trade for Odell Beckham, Jr. which gave Baker Mayfield a superstar wideout to throw the ball to — but cost them a lot in return.

In order to land OBJ, Cleveland sent a first and third-round pick to the New York Giants in addition to starting safety Jabril Peppers. That seemed to be a tough pill to swallow but then Dorsey somehow landed Greedy Williams from LSU with the team's first pick in Round 2 that season.

Williams was widely considered a first-round pick and many of us were guilty of praising the pick before asking why he fell so far. Four years later, most of us can see what the issue was. Williams has been inconsistent throughout his career and has dealt with a myriad of injuries.

He missed four games in 2019, all 16 in 2020, one in 2021, and six in 2022. That's a grand total of 27 games while appearing in 39. Set for free agency this offseason, Williams will depart with 99 tackles, 12 pass defenses, and two interceptions.

Most of his stats were recorded in 2021 but he eventually fell to fourth on the depth chart behind Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, and third-round rookie Martin Emerson. Because of that, this once-promising defensive back will be considered a bust in Cleveland.

2. Anthony Schwartz, WR

By now, most share this opinion on Anthony Schwartz. It's a disappointing thing to admit since the Auburn product started out his NFL career on such a high note.

With Odell Beckham out in Week 1 of the 2021 season, the Browns started their rookie third-round selection. Schwartz hauled in his first target, going 44 yards downfield and making a bobbling catch to set the offense up early.

He caught two more passes after that and had 69 yards on the day. Then in Week 2, he had a game to forget.

Schwartz was the one who stopped on a route which led to a fateful interception. Justin Reid picked off Baker Mayfield and when the quarterback went to make the tackle, he suffered a serious shoulder injury. He then played the rest of the year in a harness and struggled mightily.

Mayfield had surgery in the offseason and was traded to Carolina as the Browns brought in Deshaun Watson. Perhaps the whole year looks different if Schwartz makes the play but that's not how it went down.

The wideout expressed frustration that he took the blame for this play but didn't do anything to help his case moving forward. Drops plagued him all offseason and he still struggles with route running and injuries. His time should be over as it's clear he's not the player they hoped he would be.

1. Jacob Phillips, LB

Cleveland has a type in the draft, and that type is often LSU players. They again took a member of the Tigers in 2020 when Jacob Phillips was added in Round 3. While Patrick Queen was the big name in that draft class, Phillips was the one who racked up the sacks in 2019 for the NCAA Champs.

The Browns hoped they had yet another steal on their hands but unfortunately didn't get to see much of what Phillips had to offer during his rookie season. He missed six games due to a knee injury as well as a stint with COVID.

Then in 2021, a biceps injury sent him to the injured reserve and he was able to play in just four games. Each time he was hurt, the hype would grow in regard to what he could do when he returned. Phillips, who has all the athletic talent in the world, would shine in camp, practices, and the preseason.

The same was true in 2022 and ahe had a career-high 46 tackles and two sacks. But again, he was gone for the majority of the year. This time, Phillips suffered a pectoral injury and missed the final 10 games of the year.

With a new defensive coordinator, Phillips could be in danger of falling out of favor. And right now, it feels as though that's a likely scenario.