New Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken delivers telling commentary on Jim Schwartz future
New Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken was peppered with questions on Tuesday during his introductory press conference.
At the forefront of subjects Monken was asked about was of course, the uncertain future of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who, upon hearing he was passed over for the head coach role, reportedly stormed out of the building, vowing never to return.
With Schwartz still under contract with the franchise, though, the door is still considered open for him to return next season. Monken largely played coy with the subject, but noted that he has spoken to the Super Bowl-winning DC.
Despite not providing a clear answer on Schwartz's future, Monken reassured fans that continuity is his priority on that side of the ball.
"My anticipation is we're not going to change the system," Monken said. "Very difficult to go against. Not planning to change the system, we're built for the system that they're in currently. And I'm not going to get into staffing, because that's this is not time to get into that, but they can be rest assured that we're going to keep the same system. We're still going to let them attack. We're still going to let them play free. I can't see any other way."
For Monken, the decision to keep things status quo on that side of the ball comes down to one key thing. The players. Known as an offensive coach who molds his scheme to the strengths of his roster, it's easy to understand why he'd take the same approach to the defensive side, even though it's not his expertise.
In highlighting Cleveland's elite talent on that side of the ball, though, it was easy to read between the lines when it comes to Schwartz's future.
"They're a big reason why I took this job; the defense and the players. I didn't take this job because of Jim Schwartz," asserted Monken. "I have a lot of respect for Jim Schwartz, as I would hope he has for me. But I took it because of the players that are here. The ownership. Andrew Berry, and the ability to build this roster from the ground up on the offensive side."
He doubled down on the premise of players over coaches.
"I didn't think I'd say it, but I'm going to say it. When I was preparing for the Cleveland Browns, I wasn't trying to chip Jim Schwartz. I was chipping Myles Garrett," he said. "I was sliding the protection to the players, and when I was worried about throwing to the right against Denzel Ward or Tyson Campbell to the left, that's what I was worried about throwing at."
That doesn't mean Schwartz gets no credit for the Browns' success on that side of the ball these last few years. Before his arrival in 2023, Cleveland constantly battled miscommunication issues and struggled to stop the run.
Schwartz turned the unit into one of the NFL's best in two of the last three seasons. More importantly, though, as Monken can appreciate, he put his players in position to be successful.
Ward thrives in man, so the Browns run a ton of man. Garrett is one of the best pass rushers of all-time, so Schwartz set him up in the wide-9 with opportunities to get after the quarterback.
Monken saw what worked firsthand, while he game-planned against Cleveland's defense twice a year over the last three years serving as Baltimore's OC.
"To go against his defense six times over the last three years schematically and more importantly, the players because ultimately it's a player's game," said Monken. "It's our job as coaches to develop systems that allow your players to play fast."
With or without Schwartz, Monken plans on continuing to do just that.
"I say this all the time, from an offense or defensive perspective, it starts with having elite players and then having an elite coaching staff with you and then you can call the game freely," he said. "Because of that, because of the talent you have and then because of the players, I mean, with the coaches that help him come to life, that's what makes a coordinator elite."