The Cleveland Browns have a new head coach. Offensive guru Todd Monken is back in Cleveland, six years after his lone season as offensive coordinator under head coach Freddie Kitchens, this time to run the show on his own.
The Browns' quarterback problems may continue to be a talking point this offseason. And, as usually happens whenever a new coaching staff arrives, it wouldn't be shocking to see the new brass push to draft a signal caller.
That's why Monken's connection to Carson Beck is impossible to ignore ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. They go a long way back, and now that he's declared for the draft, he would be a seamless fit to consider.
Cleveland's QB room is shaky, and Todd Monken might have a sleeper solution
Beck was with the Georgia Bulldogs for all three years Monken was there as offensive coordinator. He's had plenty of praise for him in the past, and now that he's seen his growth after leading the Miami Hurricanes to the national championship game, he could think of him as a sleeper solution for the Browns' underwhelming QB room:
“He’s a young man that loves the game. You can see it on film with his arm talent and ability to escape and make plays down the field. He has the athleticism to get out of trouble. Knowing the family, he’s wired the right way," Monken said of Beck in 2020, as reported by Gene Frenette of Jacksonville.com.
Of course, getting a 23-year-old rookie who spent six years in college might not be the most exciting move for the Browns. Then again, he should be available for them in the middle rounds of the draft, and it's not like Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders did much to be locks to make the roster next season.
Beck wasn't the starter for Monken's Bulldogs. He had to sit behind Stetson Bennett as he marched his way to consecutive national championships in 2021 and 2022. Even so, Monken got to watch his work ethic and preparation, and he got to learn his system.
It's also worth mentioning that the Bulldogs tried to recruit Shedeur Sanders when Monken was there, so perhaps he's already made up his mind and thinks he can turn him into a starting-caliber quarterback.
But if that's not the case, it would be a disservice not to at least consider the possibility of a reunion with Beck.