Mina Kimes Names Browns Player Who Could Benefit From Todd Monken

Now that Todd Monken is head coach of the Cleveland Browns and has actually arrived in town, thoughts will turn to how his presence will affect the team as a whole and players individually. He was brought in as an offensive-minded coach, so that is where his biggest emphasis may come.

The Browns do have several talented young players who made their mark as rookies last season. That includes quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, who are Monken’s largest and likely most important projects.

But he also will have an effect on the rest of the roster, and analyst Mina Kimes recently named one Browns player who could benefit from Monken: second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr.

“I’m excited to see how Todd Monken uses Harold Fannin Jr,” Kimes wrote on X.

*whispers* I’m excited to see how Todd Monken uses Harold Fannin Jr

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 29, 2026

For the past three seasons, Monken was the coordinator for a Baltimore Ravens offense that relied heavily on its tight ends. Though Mark Andrews experienced a decline with age and some injuries, he remained one of the top receiving tight ends in the NFL. In addition, Isaiah Likely had several breakout games, though he did not meet expectations as a budding star ready to take over from Andrews.

Interestingly, the two often worked as a tandem under Monken in Baltimore, which was the plan in Cleveland for Fannin and veteran David Njoku after the rookie was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, thanks to injuries to Njoku and Fannin’s excellent performances, the younger player emerged as the Browns’ clear top option at the position.

In fact, Fannin led the Browns in targets, receptions, receiving yards, touchdown receptions, and first-down catches this season. With Sanders at quarterback, he had his first 100-yard game and caught four TDs in the final five contests.

With Njoku able to move on as a free agent this offseason, Fannin could become an even more prominent part of the passing attack, which gives Monken someone he can count on as he starts to build his new offense with the Browns.