Todd Monken was officially introduced as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns Tuesday, and while the focus was on his vision for the offense, the “elephant in the room” was defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Monken was complimentary but kept his cards close regarding Schwartz’s reported frustration after being passed over for the top job. “I have had a chance to talk with Jim,” Monken noted, though he added it would be “inappropriate to comment” on whether Schwartz will actually return for 2026.
Despite the uncertainty, Monken made it clear he isn’t losing sleep over the defensive scheme. “Not planning on changing the system,” Monken said, emphasizing that the roster—not the coaching staff—was the primary draw. “I didn’t take this job because of Jim Schwartz, I took it because of the players.”
Reflecting on his time as an offensive coordinator in Baltimore, Monken joked about the difficulty of facing Cleveland’s front four. “It’s been a b**ch to go against with these players,” he admitted. “When I was game planning, I wasn’t planning to chip Jim Schwartz; I was worried about Myles Garrett. It’ll be a lot more fun not having to chip 95 on every play.”
Tommy Gilligan
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It will be interesting to see if Monken’s comments have any impact on whether or not the 2023 Assistant Coach of the Year will return.
Potential Defensive Coordinator Replacements
If Schwartz does decide to move on, the Browns have strong options to maintain continuity:
- Internal: Jason Tarver (Linebackers Coach). A veteran with previous DC experience (Raiders), Tarver has overseen the development of Carson Schwesinger and knows the current personnel inside out.
- Internal: Ephraim Banda (Safeties Coach). A rising star who has already drawn DC interest elsewhere this cycle, Banda would offer the most energetic transition. Also held the DC job at the college level for Utah State.
- External: Zach Orr. The former Ravens DC has a direct connection to Monken from their time in Baltimore and runs a similarly aggressive, player-friendly system.
