The news that the Baltimore Ravens have officially requested to interview Jim Schwartz for their head coaching vacancy should be sounding off alarm bells in Berea for the Cleveland Browns.
Losing the 2023 Assistant Coach of the Year would be a blow, but losing him to a division rival is a catastrophe. Owner Jimmy Haslam must do whatever it takes to keep Schwartz from leaving the building.
Under Schwartz, the Browns’ defense has become the soul of the franchise. In 2025, while the offense floundered at the bottom of the league, Schwartz’s unit carried the team, finishing fourth in total defense.
He is the architect who unlocked Myles Garrett to a likely second NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in three years. Garrett of course also had a historic campaign, setting the single season sack record (23.0). Schwartz also groomed linebacker Carson Schwesinger to be the heavy favorite to win the Rookie DPOY.
The veteran DC keeps Cleveland competitive regardless of quarterback play.
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If he moves home to Baltimore, the Ravens don’t just gain an elite defensive mind; they grab the blueprints to the Browns’ only consistent strength. Baltimore’s roster is already borderline championship ready; adding Schwartz’s aggressive, "wide-nine" scheme to that talent pool would toss them back to the top of the AFC North.
For Cleveland, it would mean watching their greatest asset walk into enemy territory to be used against them twice a year.
The Only Way to Stop the Ravens
There is only one foolproof way for the Browns braintrust to ensure Schwartz stays in Cleveland if Baltimore's intrigue in hiring him is legitimate. That is to name Schwartz as the franchise's next head coach.
While the Browns have been linked to offensive minds like Mike McDaniel, or rising star coordinators, the Ravens' interest changes the math. Schwartz has previous head coaching experience (leading the Detroit Lions to their first playoff berth in a decade in 2011) and already commands the respect of the Browns locker room.
By promoting him, the Browns achieve three crucial goals:
Defensive Continuity: They preserve the No. 4 ranked unit and keep the system that Myles Garrett thrives in.
The "Block": Cleveland keep the Ravens from getting stronger.
The Partner Model: Schwartz can focus on the culture and defense, while hiring a creative offensive coordinator to handle the "broken" side of the ball.
In the chess match of the AFC North, the Ravens just made a checkmate move. The only way for the Browns to stay in the game is to give control to Schwartz sooner than later.
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