The Cleveland Browns' head-coaching search stumbled upon multiple speed bumps. From Mike McDaniel withdrawing himself from consideration and leaving the team scrambling to comply with the Rooney Rule, to Grant Udinski also snubbing the team at the 11th hour, there weren't as many feasible candidates as expected.
For most of the process, one candidate flew under the radar for the most part. Former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken never sounded like a serious candidate, even though he got more than one interview with the team.
Now that the process is coming to an end, it seems Monken could have to find a realtor and a place in Northeast Ohio. According to Cleveland.com insider Mary Kay Cabot, there's a chance that the Browns pursue Monken as their offensive coordinator, should the 35-year-old Nate Scheelhaase be their pick for head coach.
“Like Scheelhaase, Udinski has never called plays in the NFL, but has such a brilliant offensive mind that the chore would be well within his skill set if he opts to do it himself. The Browns could also try to hire Monken as their offensive coordinator under one of the young coaches, but he’s got a chance to join John Harbaugh as coordinator with the Giants."
From yesterday, Todd Monken was still firmly in the mix for the #Browns head coach search as of Monday afternoon. A pairing of Monken and Schwartz has been discussed: https://t.co/RuWxhTm1v5
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 27, 2026
The Browns may still find a way to hire Todd Monken
Of course, Monken will probably choose the New York Giants over the Browns in this scenario, given his familiarity with Harbaugh and the difference in offensive talent.
But if Harbaugh chooses to go in a different direction, the Browns might be able to pair a proven and bona fide veteran with a young, up-and-coming head coach without NFL play-calling experience. They also must try to convince Jim Schwartz to stay as defensive coordinator, provided that Scheelhaase wants to keep both of them around.
There are plenty of reasons to have doubts about hiring a young head coach in his early 30s, but that's where the league has been trending over the past decade (and with plenty of success).
The Browns have a championship-caliber defense, but they most definitely need to turn their offense around. A lot will depend on adding more talent and fixing the offensive line, but getting the right guys to lead the way will also be crucial.
Even with Lamar Jackson's injuries, Monken's Ravens averaged 24.9 points per game and the second-most rushing yards per game last season (156.6), so the Browns certainly could do a whole lot worse.