Browns sideline four players to start training camp

The Cleveland Browns were active on Friday as the club sidelined four players prior to the opening of training camp at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.

The club placed wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, wide receiver Michael Woods and guard Colby Gossett on the Non-Football Injury list, while also placing wide receiver Marquise Goodwin on the Non-Football Illness list:

The transaction with Woods is not surprising given that he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the offseason and will miss the entire 2023 season.

Update: Shortly after the initial post, the Browns provided more information on Goodwin’s illness.

While not the end of the world, the news is not necessarily good for Schwartz, who the Browns selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In his two seasons in Cleveland Schwartz has struggled to stay on the field as he has only played in 25 total games, and struggled to produce when he has played as he only has 14 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown with the Browns.

Schwartz was already facing a training camp battle for a roster spot given that general manager Andrew Berry spent a considerable amount of time rebuilding the wide receiver position in the offseason with the trade for Elijah Moore and the drafting of Cedric Tillman to go with incumbents Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.

There was no immediate word about the nature of the injuries for Schwartz or Gossett, but any time missed is a lost opportunity when your roster spot is anything but assured.

The Non-Football Injury list is used for players who suffer an injury outside of NFL activities, and all four players will count against Cleveland’s 90-man roster, so there will be no immediate corresponding transactions while everyone heals up.

The Browns open training camp on Saturday afternoon with the first of what can be eight practices at The Greenbrier. They will return to Berea for the first training camp practice open to the public on August 1 and open the preseason on August 3 when they face the New York Jets in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton.