Schwartz left with two years remaining on his contract, but Cleveland retains his rights and has no plans to release him or trade his rights, per NFL rules and team reporting.
Cleveland reporters offered pointed takes on Schwartz’s departure. Daryl Ruiter suggested the move underlined the Browns’ decision not to promote Schwartz, while co-host Nick Pedone argued Schwartz may have embarrassed himself by leaving.
Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com confirmed Schwartz will remain under Browns control for at least two more years unless a resolution is reached.
The Browns have begun interviewing defensive coordinator candidates, with Ephraim Banda and Jason Tarver identified as the first to be interviewed.
Banda has coordinated defenses at Miami and Utah State and was a finalist for multiple DC jobs, while Tarver previously served as Raiders DC from 2012-14.
Monken has indicated he plans to keep his defensive system in place, leaving open the possibility of promoting from within as the Browns evaluate external candidates.
