Peter Schrager just dropped a Todd Monken update that has Browns fans nervous

What felt like a done deal out in East Rutherford on Thursday suddenly feels like less of a guarantee. 

And for those clinging to every update on the Cleveland Browns’ head coach search, buckle up. The latest reporting on John Harbaugh’s situation with the New York Giants could change everything in Berea, Ohio.

Browns fans went to bed on Thursday night knowing that two potential head coach prospects — Harbaugh and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken — were out of the mix. That news didn’t exactly lead to sleepless nights, either, as Harbaugh landing with Cleveland always felt like a pipe dream, and Monken never felt like a serious candidate.

Those restless nights are coming this weekend, though. ESPN’s Peter Schrager subtly dropped a game-changing piece of information during an appearance on the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. The jist? Harbaugh has yet to officially reach a deal with the Giants, and Monken is not a shoo-in for the Giants OC job over the incumbent Mike Kafka.

Why? Because Monken is apparently a much more serious candidate for the Browns’ head coach job than fans were led to believe.

Todd Monken just re-emerged as a nightmare candidate for the Browns’ head coach job

According to Schrager, Monken has a second interview scheduled with Browns brass this coming week. That makes Cleveland’s former OC from the 2019 season, under the one-year Freddie Kitchens debacle, a clear finalist for the job.

These words are sure to take some of the air out of the balloon as exciting young candidates like Nate Scheelhaase, Grant Udinski, and Jesse Minter meet with the team over the coming days.

“Mike Kafka, who was the interim coach and the offensive coordinator last year, I’ve got it from pretty good people that he’s still in the mix as an offensive coordinator for the Giants,” Schrager said on Simmons’ episode that dropped Thursday. “Dart actually showed a lot of flashes with him. Everyone in the morning was like, Todd Monken’s going to be his offensive coordinator. Well Todd Monken is interviewing for the Cleveland job on Tuesday, I believe, for the second time, and might be the Cleveland Browns’ head coach. So slow down with putting in who’s going to be the (Giants’) coordinators. But these hires, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinators, are almost as important as landing the plane with Harbaugh.”

The infatuation with Monken? It has Jimmy Haslam written all over it. 

Of all the candidates the Browns have been linked to, Monken’s name will excite fans the least. He was here in 2019, when Haslam quickly moved on from Kitchens and hired Kevin Stefanski ahead of the 2020 season. Monken moved to the college ranks with Georgia, won a couple of national titles running their offense, and returned to the NFL in 2023, joining Harbaugh's staff in Baltimore.

He’s got an excellent track record as an offensive coordinator; that part’s undeniable. But he’s entering his age-60 season, and he only has one head coaching job on his resume — at Southern Miss over a decade ago.

The Browns’ search during this hiring cycle has been unique compared to the NFL’s eight other openings. They’ve been connected to a strong mix of age, experience, and background. But to turn over every stone, just to circle back on an old-school coach like Monken, would definitely leave fans underwhelmed; if the team's going with this type of bridge option with an older coach, why not stick with the guy everyone loves, Jim Schwartz?

Let’s not get the Browns in trouble for something they haven’t done yet. The Giants situation remains fluid, and reports are currently all over the place.

But Schrager’s a reputable enough source to have Browns fans fretting a nightmare scenario over the coming days.