Several players made quite an impact during the Cleveland Browns’ encouraging minicamps and OTAs. That includes quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, wide receivers Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion and Isaiah Bond, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, and newcomer edge rusher Jared Verse.
But perhaps no one made a greater impression than new head coach Todd Monken. The 60-year-old was noticeable from Day One, setting out to establish a culture from his first moment on the job.
Coming out of the final minicamp, insider Daniel Oyefusi revealed what stood out about Monken in the offseason programs, with his hands-on approach the most telling.
“What really stood out is just how much team drills they were doing. Todd is making sure that this team is going to be ready for training camp, ready for the season. We noticed how hands on he is, how vocal he is,” Oyefusi said.
"What really stood out is just how much team drills (work) they were doing. Todd is making sure that this team is going to be ready for training camp, ready for the season…we noticed just how hands on he is."
🚨 @DanielOyefusi w/ @VulinecJake on the #Browns practices under… pic.twitter.com/c34Ym81FUx
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 16, 2026
A tactic that has been almost universally noted throughout the spring is Monken’s demand for accountability. He would stop drills or remove players if he didn’t like the way things were going, which is a stark contrast to the approach taken by head coach Kevin Stafanski toward the end of his six seasons.
Monken also did not wait until the end of practice to teach his players how he wants things done. He and his staff would provide instruction immediately after a play, rather than waiting for them to get huddled up to go over things before the next one. This created a better pace to the workouts than the Browns have been accustomed to.
He also would stop practice to go over things, rather than waiting until after the session was complete. It is all part of Monken’s desire to put pressure on the opponent, especially while on offense, and force them into mistakes, while his team is completely on top of its assignments.
For a team like the Browns, which won just eight games over the past two seasons combined, being buckled up and taking care of the finer points could be the difference in a few more victories. Last year, six of their losses were by a touchdown or less.
It has been said that you may not always see Monken at practice, but you can always hear him, and hopefully, that energy and attention to detail will carry over into the 2026 season.
NEXT: Insider Names 3 Key Positions Browns Still Need To Address
