After circling around several head coach candidates for almost a month, the Cleveland Browns went with the most unusual suspect. Todd Monken looked more like a security blanket than an actual frontrunner, yet he wound up taking the job.
Of course, that decision raised uproar among the fan base, not because of Monken himself but because they had fantasized about getting the new Sean McVay in a young candidate like Nate Scheelhaase.
Whether he was the right guy for the job remains to be seen. Once again, it looks like a classic case of Jimmy Haslam's meddling, but he does have a strong résumé to back up his case. Even so, CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan was, like the fans, far from impressed.
Browns get slammed with C- grade for hiring Todd Monken
Sullivan gave the Browns an underwhelming C- grade for the Monken hire.
"It was not surprising to see the Browns' job become one of the least desirable this cycle, with various coaching candidates withdrawing from consideration. That makes this hire of Monken feel somewhat like both sides settled. Cleveland couldn't land one of the hotter candidates, and Monken was primarily looking at offensive coordinator jobs, so this may have been his only shot at becoming an NFL head coach. It's hard to see this one having the legs to run for years to come."
Fair enough, Monken will turn 60 this month, and that might be a little old to be a first-time head coach. That said, he's familiar with the organization and the division, and his offense has been as modern as it's been explosive over the past three years.
Monken's Baltimore Ravens ranked No. 1 in rushing yards, No. 2 in scrimmage yards, No. 3 in rushing touchdowns and points per game, and No. 5 in receiving touchdowns. He also helped Lamar Jackson reach a new level and become arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in league history.
Granted, the Browns don't have Lamar Jackson or that type of offensive line. Monken should still be judged by his résumé and how he fares on the field, and not by the fact that the Browns didn't get someone else, another first-timer who, unlike Monken, didn't have any play-calling experience in the pros.
This offense needs fixing, and Monken's background and body of work look far superior to Kevin Stefanski's. Perhaps that's just fool's gold, and there's nothing to celebrate, but he at least deserves a chance to prove himself.