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Daniel Oyefusi
BEREA, Ohio — On Tuesday at noon ET, Todd Monken will address local reporters for the first time since the Cleveland Browns made him the 19th full-time head coach in franchise history.
It’ll be an opportunity for Monken, 59, to lay out his vision for a team that has won a combined eight games in the past two seasons.
Since agreeing to a reported five-year deal, Monken has hit the ground running. He quickly brought along veteran George Warhop (offensive line), who has coached alongside him with the Baltimore Ravens over the past two seasons, and Travis Switzer (offensive coordinator) — getting trusted assistants to join him in Cleveland. The rest of Monken’s staff is expected to come together quickly, with the NFL scouting combine starting Feb. 22.
Just weeks after the combine, free agency will commence March 11 at 4 p.m. ET, and so will the true rebuilding of a Browns roster that is due for upgrades along the offense.
As Monken embarks on his first NFL head coaching opportunity in Cleveland, here are three priorities that he and his staff should focus on to get the Browns in contention:
Find clarity with DC Jim Schwartz
The Browns accomplished one goal in hiring Monken: They brought in a veteran offensive mind to help rebuild a young offense. But in doing so, they might have alienated defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who also interviewed for the job and has now been passed over for a second time for head coach.
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While ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Monken is open to retaining Schwartz, he added that a source said there is «no guarantee» Schwartz, who remains under contract, stays with the Browns in 2026.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said he «absolutely» wants to keep Schwartz in the organization, and general manager Andrew Berry has expressed his satisfaction with a defense that leads the NFL in fewest yards allowed since Schwartz arrived in 2023. But Schwartz, seemingly discontent, could seek another opportunity outside of Cleveland, and there might need to be some reconciliation.
If Schwartz departs the organization, Monken has a big task of finding a replacement for Schwartz, whom Browns defensive players love playing for, and whom many advocated for becoming the head coach. There is continuity among the personnel, with only one starter slated for unrestricted free agency, and a bevy of talent that should have plenty of defensive coaches lining up for an opportunity should there become a vacancy.
Lay out a plan for the quarterbacks room
Berry said during the interview process that the new coach would have a say in the quarterbacks room, and it very well could be Monken’s biggest decision in Year 1. The Browns have three quarterbacks under contract for 2026 — Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel — but Berry was noncommittal on a starter at his end-of-season news conference. Berry added the team would explore the quarterback market this offseason.
Monken has worked with myriad quarterbacks with varying skill sets, so he likely won’t be beholden to one style of passer. Options could be limited with a bare free agency and draft class, but Monken’s experience should help Cleveland as it pursues additions.
Expect the quarterback dilemma to be at the forefront of Monken’s news conference Tuesday.
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Establish a scheme
Over the years, Monken has executed a multiple scheme that fuses elements of his Air Raid roots and a power run game. Though he served as the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019 on Freddie Kitchens’ staff, he was not the playcaller. Now Monken will be able to fully implement his offensive vision in Cleveland.
Monken has typically bent his scheme to the talents of his players, but the bare cupboard on offense — four Week 1 starters along the offensive line are hitting free agency — could mean that it will take time to truly materialize over the course of the offseason workout program and training camp.
That flexibility was exhibited especially during Monken’s time at Georgia, where he was the offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships.
«Todd brought an exceptional level of professionalism and creativity to our program,» Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. «His ability to develop quarterbacks and craft game plans tailored to our players’ strengths was instrumental to our success. What we accomplished wouldn’t have been possible without his impact.»
