KC Chiefs vs. Browns: Key injuries to watch for Cleveland for Week 1
By Matt Conner
Anthony Schwartz
One major difference between Chiefs and other teams who try to come close to matching their offensive production is the team’s ability to throw down the field. No one can replicate having Patrick Mahomes under center, and Andy Reid is a genius all his own on the sidelines. But the Browns have a decent combination in Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski, a duo whose ceiling could be higher than anyone realizes at present.
What will help get them there is if the Browns can develop the same sort of downfield threats enjoyed by the Chiefs. The last time these teams played in the 2020 postseason, the Browns were without OBJ, their top pass catcher, and they’d not yet drafted Anthony Schwartz. That could make things interesting for the Chiefs defense in Week 1 if both players are available.
If you’re unaware, Schwartz ran the single fastest 40-yard dash of any wide receiver in this year’s deep class at 4.25 seconds. Yes, that’s 4.25. He was also a track star in high school and at Auburn. The Chiefs aren’t without burners of their own, but the Browns now have a young player of their own with world-class speed to pair with the ultra-rare talent of OBJ. It makes a big difference when Jarvis Landry is WR2 or WR3 instead of WR1.
The x-factor here is that Schwartz missed almost the entire preseason with a hamstring injury and just made his debut in the team’s final game. Is he still nursing the hamstring? Will the lack of playing time overall in the preseason keep him from being an impactful player in Week 1? If the Browns want to keep up with the Chiefs offense, Schwartz could be a big answer for the Chiefs’ deep threats. It’s just a matter of if he’s ready.