Contracts Browns Must Consider Cutting in 2023 Offseason
The Cleveland Browns have not had a high success rate with their mid-round NFL draft picks over the last few seasons.
Cleveland may be inclined to cut some of those players in the 2023 offseason to make some salary-cap room.
The AFC North side comes into the offseason $14 million over the projected salary cap, per Spotrac.
Eight Browns players are slated to make eight figures next season, and that requires the franchise to hit more on its depth signings.
If the likes of Anthony Schwartz are not going to produce, they must be cut in favor of other cheaper depth options who can make an impact on either side of the ball.
Anthony Schwartz
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Anthony Schwartz had very little impact on the Cleveland offense in 2022.
The second-year wide receiver out of Auburn caught four passes on 10 targets. His lone touchdown of the campaign came on the ground.
The 2021 third-round pick has two touchdowns in his NFL career, the other came through the air in his rookie campaign.
Schwartz's contract does not cost the Browns much. He is slated to make $1.1 million in 2023 and $1.3 million in 2023.
However, the Browns need to make every penny spent count with Deshaun Watson and his massive salary on the books.
Schwartz's only good usage in the last two years came in the return game. He had 21.5 yards per return in 2021, but he was not part of the return game in 2022.
Donovan Peoples-Jones and David Bell cruised past Schwartz on the wide receiver depth chart in 2022, and they should be the No. 2 and No. 3 options behind Amari Cooper.
Schwartz does not have much of a fit on the Cleveland roster right now, and that makes him a prime candidate to be cut.
Jacob Phillips
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Injuries have not been kind to Jacob Phillips during his Browns career.
The 2020 third-round pick has been on the field for 20 games over his three NFL seasons.
Phillips played four games in 2021 and featured in seven contests in 2022. He started four games in the recently concluded season.
The LSU product had his best statistical season in 2022 with 46 tackles, two sacks and a pair of quarterback hits, but while that production was nice, he was still off the field for more than half of Cleveland's games.
Phillips flashed the potential to be a decent contributor when he was on the field last season, but the injuries may weigh on the minds of the Cleveland front office personnel.
The Browns can draft another linebacker, or bring one in on the cheap in free agency, who can produce the same numbers per game as Phillips and not be sidelined for over half of the season.
Jordan Elliott
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Cleveland's other 2020 third-round pick could end up off the roster as well.
Jordan Elliott is scheduled to make $2.7 million in the final year of his rookie contract in 2023.
The salary does not match the overall production from the defensive lineman in his first three NFL seasons.
Elliott has seven quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks in three seasons. He played well in 2022 with three QB hits and two sacks in 17 starts, but the Browns need a bit more from a starting defensive tackle.
Cleveland's defense must find better ways to keep Kenny Pickett, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson off the field in divisional play. Every defensive detail matters this offseason to get the defense right in order to provide Watson with as many opportunities to succeed on offense to counter the stars of the AFC North.
The Browns must weigh if it is worth keeping Elliott around for the final year of his rookie contract, or if they want to shed the $2.7 million and find a cheaper alternative on the defensive interior.
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