For years, the Cleveland Browns had a stout defense and a bottom-feeding offense. Kevin Stefanski was unable to fix it, regardless of the quarterback or the supporting cast, while Jim Schwartz's unit ranked among the league's finest.
Of course, that's the expectation when you have a player like Myles Garrett. If anything, having the best defensive player in the league (and arguably the best player overall) should make life easier for a defensive coordinator.
That's why, with Garrett now in Los Angeles as a member of the Rams, Browns legend Joe Thomas believes Monken will face a difficult challenge in his first season as head coach.
During a recent interview on 92.3 The Fan, he argued that keeping the defense at a high level without Garrett will be Monken's biggest challenge:
"It's the defense. [Todd Monken] lost the greatest defensive player in the history of football when Myles Garrett was traded. You got a new defensive coordinator, a lot of young, talented players," Thomas said. "The defense, because they were so good the last several years, the expectations are higher. There's gonna be a challenge to meet expectations of seasons past on defense."
Todd Monken wants the Browns to be known for more than just their defense
Garrett hasn't been in the building since the Monken hire, and things appear to be going just fine. Reports out of spring workouts were largely positive. Browns players didn't seem too worried or sad about Garrett's departure. His name has barely been mentioned in Berea since Cleveland's bombshell trade on June 1.
As soon as the trade news broke, Monken made it loud and clear that the team wouldn't tank this season. He also expressed immediate excitement about the addition of Jared Verse, the star young pass rusher who, at the very least, should help Cleveland's defense remain competitive.
Even if the Browns take a bit of a step back on defense under new coordinator Mike Rutenberg, that may not necessarily be a catastrophe. Having the best defensive player in football didn't do much to help the Browns win games, but their offensive shortcomings threw a wrench into their plans time and time again.
If Monken can get the offense going, that will probably move the needle much more than not having someone who can rack up 20-plus sacks in a single season. The defense can only do so much when the offense can't stay on the field, and while Garrett's numbers were elite in a vacuum, this team won a grand total of eight games over the last two years.
If anything, not having Garrett in town can only help Monken's case. The fans and the media are likely to cut him some slack, especially without a franchise-caliber player in the building. The Browns removed one of their biggest offseason storylines and kept the players who were truly committed to this new era of Browns football.
Browns fans should always cherish what Myles Garrett accomplished for their franchise, and he'll be celebrated every time he steps foot in Northeast Ohio. Still, it's time to turn the page and look ahead to the future.
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