The Cleveland Browns didn't handle the Jim Schwartz situation very well. They should've foreseen his departure if he didn't get the defensive coordinator job, and clearly, their attempts to change his mind only made things worse.
Conversely, Schwartz just proved why he wasn't the right guy for the job with this attitude. Now, it might be some time before another team gives him a shot to be a defensive coordinator, and another head-coaching gig might be off the table.
Whatever the case, the Browns need to find him a replacement, and Todd Monken might already have the perfect guy for the job.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the Browns' new head coach has been in close touch with Cory Undlin.
"Texans defensive passing game coordinator Cory Undlin is a candidate for the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator job and has talked with new head coach Todd Monken," Wilson reported.
The Browns are interested in Cory Undlin for their defensive corodinator job
This isn't the first time that Undlin has been tied to the Browns' defensive coordinator position. He was part of the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaching staff when Monken was there as well, so they go a long way back.
The 54-year-old has previous experience as the Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator. More than that, he's played a huge part in helping DeMeco Ryans put together one of the most suffocating, dominant, and hard-hitting defenses in all of pro football.
Undlin has been instrumental in the development of high-end defensive backs like All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr, Kamari Lassiter, and safeties Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock. The Browns have two stars in Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit, and they would certainly be thrilled to play for him.
He's been with the Houston Texans since 2023, joining Ryans' coaching staff from day one. He was also a defensive passing game specialist and secondary coach for the San Francisco 49ers, and has also had stints with the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, and he even had a brief stint in Cleveland as a defensive quality control coach and defensive backs coach from 2005-2008. He's also won two Super Bowls as an assistant.
The Browns have a star-studded, promising defense, and adding someone with his experience would certainly make Schwartz's departure sting less. The Browns have also interviewed in-house candidates, such as safeties coach Ephraim Banda and linebackers coach Jason Tarver, and they should make a decision soon.