Not many people saw the Cleveland Browns hiring Todd Monken to be their next head coach. While recent reports state that he was always Andrew Berry's preferred choice, most signs pointed to them going after Grant Udinski first and Nate Scheelhaase later.
Of course, some fans were disappointed to hear that the team would hire a 59-year-old with no head coaching experience at the NFL level. At least, Udinski and Scheelhaase were both quick risers, up-and-coming offensive gurus who could bring some fresh ideas to the table.
That's a valid point, and it's fair to a degree. Then again, young coaches often struggle to put together coaching staffs, and after watching Monken make a plethora of hires in no time, it's clear that's not the case with him.
Browns fans questioned Todd Monken, but he's building a staff no rookie coach could
Monken might have never been a head coach, but he's been coaching for 37 years. He's had plenty of success at multiple stops both at the collegiate and pro levels, at last with what pertains to building an explosive offense.
The former Baltimore Ravens head coach has already brought multiple assistant coaches with him to Northeast Ohio. The fact that they all chose to join him instead of following John Harbaugh to New York speaks volumes about the way they feel about Monken. Clearly, he was either easier to work with, deserved more credit for the Ravens' success, or both.
That wasn't going to be the case with Scheelhaase and Udinski, simply because they're not that well-connected. Of course, they might be beloved and respected in their own buildings, but it would be hard to imagine them being able to poach any of the main assistant coaches away from Liam Coen or Sean McVay.
The Browns already faced some drama with Jim Schwartz. He threatened to leave after being bypassed for the head coaching position, even though Monken is reportedly open to keeping him in town. It now seems that Schwartz is having second thoughts and might return, but it would've probably been a whole lot different if he had to agree to work for a guy in his early 30s.
Grant Udinski and Nate Scheelhaase will probably both have a shot at being a head coach pretty soon. They might even end up being great at what they do. But, for now, with the moves Monken has made, it's starting to look like the Browns made the right decision.