The Cleveland Browns hired former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their next head coach. Monken, had he not received an offer in Cleveland, was a good bet to join John Harbaugh with the New York Giants.
The Monken hire is a surprising one given the Browns were circling around young offensive minds like Grant Udinski and Nathan Scheelhaase. Instead, the Browns opted to offer the job to a 59-year-old Monken, in part because so many candidates withdrew from the interview process. Cleveland asked a lot of their candidates, short of a college essay and cover letter. But now that this long, exhaustive process is over, where should the Browns go from here?
Andrew Berry is the Browns next fall guy, not Monken
If – more like when – the Browns falter next, it will not be Monken who is ultimately blamed. Sure, Jimmy Haslam could very well fire Monken as well, but general manager Andrew Berry can only have so many lives. Under Berry's watch, the Browns traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson. Haslam played a major role in those negotiations, too, overlooking a litany of sexual misconduct allegations against his new quarterback. But the owner cannot be ousted unless called upon by other owners.
Berry saved his job last April with one of the better Browns draft classes in recent memories. That group was headlined by Mason Graham, as well as Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, who recorded 146 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.
Berry isn't the problem in Cleveland, but he's a symptom of the stank. Haslam, and all the Browns stand for, are an issue. Unless Monken turns into a superstar hire – and by that I mean shockingly leads the Browns back to the playoffs – Berry's days are numbered. Heck, they fired their two-time coach of the year just to hire this guy.
Jim Schwartz could return to the Browns coaching staff
Jim Schwartz wasn't cut out to be the Browns head coach. His first go-around leading the Detroit Lions didn't exactly go as planned – his 2008 team went 0-16. Still, the Browns gave Schwartz a couple of courtesy interviews and did start to consider him for the job when more serious candidates dropped out of the running.
With Monken, an offensive mind, accepting the Browns offer, the biggest remaining question is who will run this top-ranked defense. Schwartz is more than qualified and is beloved by Myles Garrett and more leaders in the Cleveland locker room. Per Adam Schefter, Schwartz is still under contract with the Browns and the team hopes to convince him to stay. That'll be a bitter pill to swallow, but something that could be in the best interest of both sides.
Sure, Schwartz could find another defensive coordinator job elsewhere, but there's no guarantee he'll have the same level of success anywhere but the Browns, especially with the likely Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year as part of his scheme.
Deshaun Watson's days with the Browns are numbered
This was likely true no matter who the Browns hired, but Monken has no real connection or loyalty to Watson. While he could be in shape to play at some point next season, the Browns don't gain much by letting the veteran quarterback start under center. If anything, it just delays the inevitable. Eventually, Watson will not be a Brown. They have long since committed to starting over at quarterback. That's why they drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the first place.
And, I cannot say this clearly enough: No one should feel bad for Watson. He did this to himself. The dozens of sexual misconduct allegations all but ruined his playing career, and he was already on the downswing in Houston when those came to light. The fact that the Browns – along with several other nameless NFL franchises – were willing to overlook the troubling allegations against him is disgusting.
It's unclear if Watson will have another suitor once his Browns days are done. Teams are desperate for competent quarterback play, so I wouldn't put it past any NFL team to take a chance. But it's unlikely. Watson cost the Browns more than just money and their morality. He's wasted years of their time, and Monken has little reason to consider him as part of the future at the position.
Shedeur Sanders will have to impress right away
Shedeur Sanders may have been a fifth-round pick in 2025, but he played like a Day 2 selection. That's not a bad thing, even in a weak draft class for quarterbacks. The Browns – and former head coach Kevin Stefanski – did everything in their power to keep Sanders off the field, including selecting a worse quarterback in front of him in Gabriel. Yet, the Browns were so bad (and so injured at the position, predictably) that eventually Shedeur was given a shot.
Sanders wasn't great. In fact, there were a lot of rookie mistakes. But that's expected for any first-year player, and unlike Gabriel, Sanders actually showed some flashes. It's why some draft pundits projected Shedeur to be a first-round pick as recently as this time last year. What happened between then and the draft is a mystery to all of us (though I have my conspiracy theories). None of it matters now, as the Browns are hiring a new coach. Monken is surely aware of Sanders, but he has no allegiance to him.
There's a good chance Cleveland selects another quarterback this April, even in another weak class. That could come in the later rounds. Heck, the Browns could chase another short-term project in free agency, such as Justin Fields or Malik Willis. One way or another, Sanders will have to compete for the starting job in training camp, whether it be with an outside candidate or Gabriel once again. Monken did not take this job because of Sanders. He took this job to build his own program from scratch. Shedeur's feelings are an afterthought.