DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum In a 'perfect world,' right tackle Mitchell Schwartz would like to remain with Cleveland Browns

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/12/in_a_perfect_world_right_tackl.html

BEREA, Ohio – Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is enjoying the best season of his four-year career.

In a "perfect world," he would like to continue it here, but he also knows Sunday could mark his final game with the Browns.

Schwartz is one of several key players potentially heading to free agency in March along with receiver Travis Benjamin, center Alex Mack and safety Tashaun Gipson.

The Cal product endured his share of struggles early in his career but most agree he's having his most productive year despite the offensive line's uneven play. The analytics site ProFootballFocus.com ranks Schwartz as the NFL's seventh-best tackle in 2015.

He figures to generate serious interest if the Browns don't get him re-signed in the offseason. Schwartz was asked Thursday if he'd like to remain with club that drafted him in the second round in 2012.

"In a perfect world, yeah," he said. "But that's stuff where the business side kind of takes control over the emotional side, so you've just got to see.

"I've had a really awesome time here, so if it is [my last game with the Browns], it'll be a little bit sad. I'd be leaving a lot of guys that I've played a lot of ball with."

Many expect Mack to opt out of his deal and likely play elsewhere next season. With so many other holes to fill do the Browns want to create another one by allowing their right tackle to walk?

Schwartz declined to say whether his representatives have engaged in contract talks with the Browns.

"I'm not going to get into that too much," he said. "Only bad stuff seems to come from talking about contract stuff one way or another."

wise kid

Very wise! Gotta keep him though. Crap if we going to overpay for Bowe, then we should consider opening the books for him. He's had two very solid seasons, this one by far being his best. He'll demand attention that the Browns, with likely office and staff changes looming - will have to contend with that.

Extending him would be a great first move for so-n-so GM that we are liking to hire.

Schwartz has been criticized a lot, especially on the message board, but I think you have to keep him.

I think he's about an average a RT as you're going to get in the NFL, maybe slightly above average in some areas. But with so many, and I mean SOOOO many other areas of need on this team, the last think we need is to have another area of need.

There's many more teams who've had far more success than the Browns with much less talent on the OL that the last thing we should be worrying about is upgrading Mitchell Schwartz at RT as a major priority.

No one needs to tell me it is a business, We all know that. I just don't like seeing or hearing it..

The Emotional side, I sure wish I could get rid of my emotional side.. Then I wouldn't give a damn about football..

I guess I would just take my business elsewhere.

If Schwartz gets to free agency, he's gone.

He is on the Bills radar according to the bills boards

I'm sure he is on the radar of many NFL teams.

I think we should keep both Schwartz and Mack. I don't like losing good players.

Until Cam Erving came along Schwartz was my least favorite lineman, but he has improved so I would rather he stay than his position become a need.

Ted...I think Erving will be ok..IF he learns how to use leverage/better technique. But he sure did look lost this yr and was put on his backside a lot.

But from what I read he is a hard worker and wants to get better we shall see.

I've said it before, I say it again.... Schwartz's biggest sin here in Cleveland has been that he isn't Joe Thomas.

He's a very solid RT. He ain't no Ryan Tucker, I'd say, but he's definitely solid and very much worthy of holding onto. He needs to be re-signed, otherwise we'll be scrambling to fill another void.

Ditto with Mack.
Mr. Haslam, if you're not keeping Farmer, do yourself a favor and reach out to these guys yourself and get that damn ball rolling.

The thing is, a guy who fits that description can be gotten in round 3-5. You don't have to draft that type of project in the first round. Our own Bitanio was drafted high in the second round and started day one and did very well.

That first round pick used on Erving could have been better used on any other impact-type player of need. Or even BPA on a team like ours that needs so many upgrades.

I'm not calling Erving a bust or a bad pick. I know the team tried to make him a jack-of-all-trades which hindered his ability to get good at any one thing. Still, a mid-first round lineman should be able to give a better showing in the second half of his first season than he was able to do.

All-in-all I expect he'll be a good player for years to come. I just think and equally good lineman could have been gotten in later rounds.

No argument from me..I agree.

Unfortunately Mitch,this is not the perfect world,you have become part of the Browns Bizarro World where weird things can and do happen.
I've watched you improve into a damn fine football player.It would be best for you to get the hell out while you can.

Mack is in control.. if he wants out, he's gone and there is nothing we can do about it. Except maybe outbid everyone else and hope that money talks loudest.

Mack was gone as soon as he signed that contract. A team in a better situation will offer him the same money as us. We drafted his replacement in the first round for this reason.

I'd rather overpay Schwartz and Mack than Bowe. Wish Farmer had thought the same. Its not like he didn't know this was Schwartz and Mack's jump year. He should have thought ahead and been a little more proactive.

I agree w/you.

I also think that some people excuse the FO/owner by saying that the Browns can't do anything about them leaving if they want to leave.

My first thought is.........why would they want to leave? If you answer that honestly, the blame goes right back to the ownership and FO of this team.

Playing for a team that constantly loses, constantly blows the coaching staff up, and has inferior talent can't be fun.

So, you can be sure I will be putting the blame on Haslam and Farmer if these guys leave.

Yep. For some reason, people expect the RT to be as good as LTs on other teams, and that just isn't how it works. The RT is more of a run blocker than the LT, and frankly, there aren't enough good LT in the NFL for every team to have one, let alone 2. Schwartz is a very good run blocker, and he can handle most pass rushers. As you said, his greatest sin as a player is that he's not Joe Thomas. Few in the NFL are even close to that level.

Schwartz is a top 5-8 RT in the NFL. Watch how teams line up to throw money at him if we don't re-sign him before he hits free agency.

I wonder how people are going to fee when we have Oneil Cousins II at RT next year.

I really like this Pasztor kid we have playing LG right now. I have to think that he could play RG as well, and man, if he can, we would have 2 guys who can pull extremely well. (along with Bitono at LG, obviously) I see no need to open a gaping hole at RT when it appears that we will already have one at Center, with Mack fairly sure to leave. (especially if we change coaches again, as that was one of his major concerns when he signed the contract with the opt out clause)

Sigh

I see the OL going from relative strength to disaster in one quick "easy" off-season.

It's rare that you and I agree, but I completely agree with you on this one.

The only way Mack would want to leave (other than weather or tax reasons) would be work environment - and that goes right to the leadership at the top.

I think that it goes to stability, and a true lack of stability here in Cleveland. (which I suppose goes to a total lack of leadership by the owner)