Browns Bust Anthony Schwartz Somehow Gets Another NFL Shot

The Cleveland Browns had big plans for Anthony Scwartz when they used a third-round pick on him two years ago. After all, he was one of the top wideout prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft following a promising three-year stay at Auburn University.

Unfortunately, an uninspiring start to Schwartz's career saw him quickly fall out of Browns fans' good graces. After suffering a hamstring injury during the 2023 preseason, the once-promising wide receiver was placed on the injured reserve before being released by Cleveland at the end of August.

But even though Schwartz has completely fallen short of his draft potential so far, one fellow AFC team, for some reason, is giving him a second chance.

Anthony Schwartz News

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Miami Dolphins have signed Schwartz to their practice squad. The deal comes just under a week after the Pembroke Pines, FL native worked out for Miami.

The Dolphins love their speedy receivers, so it isn't surprising that they'd like the idea of Schwartz, who's won gold medals in sprinting at the IAAF World U20 and Pan American U20 Athletics Championships.

At the same time, it isn't like Scwartz's athletic history translates to NFL success. In 25 games (three starts) across two seasons, the 23-year-old has only caught 14-of-33 targets (42.4%) for 186 yards and a touchdown. On top of owning a 20.0% drop rate in 2022, the fact that he only had a 56.7 passer rate when targeted says all you need to know.

The signing also shows how desperate the Dolphins are to improve their WR room. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have done most of the heavy lifting when it comes to Miami's pass-catchers, accounting for 50.5% of receptions, 59.7% of receiving yards, and 55.0% of passing touchdowns.

However, the Dolphins have few contributors beyond the dynamic duo. Braxton Berrios and Cedrick Wilson Jr. both failed to hit the 200-yard mark during the 2023 campaign's first half. Reclamation projects Chase Claypool and Chosen Anderson aren't exactly producing either.

Even if Schwartz is young enough to, theoretically, bounce back, nothing is guaranteed. He's yet to play a meaningful football game this year and there are still a lot of bodies he must pass on the depth chart to earn playing time.

Hopefully, Schwartz manages to put things together and live up to the expectations we had for him two years ago. However, based on how his Browns tenure went, the Dolphins faithful shouldn't hold their breath.

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