Faced with a final decision between two longtime veterans, the Cleveland Browns decided to go with Todd Monken as their new head coach instead of Jim Schwartz. After a lengthy search process, and a list of intriguing other finalists, it may have simply come down to a choice of offense over defense.
The Browns had been clear all along that they wanted a young, offensive-minded head coach to replace Kevin Stefanski. However, as the process dragged out and the candidates who better fit that description were eliminated, it was thought that Schwartz could be promoted from defensive coordinator instead.
However, the Browns stuck to their plan and hired Monken, despite the fact that the former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator is about to turn 60 years old in early February. Ironically, Schwartz may have lost out because his side of the ball was so much better than the other.
A new report from insider Terry Pluto sheds light on why the Browns chose Monken over Schwartz, and it’s because the team’s glaring weakness was on offense.
“The Browns picked Monken over Schwartz because Monken’s strength lined up with the team’s weakness — offense. Monken was well-prepared with what the team considered innovative ideas about the offense. Schwartz is a defensive guy. In this search, the focus was finding a ‘demanding leader’ who was strong on offense,” Pluto wrote.
Schwartz may have found it palatable to stay on and continue to run the powerful Cleveland defense under one of the younger candidates, namely Grant Udinski or Nate Scheelhaase. However, being passed over for someone the same age may have been too much for the 59-year-old to take, and it now seems highly unlikely he’ll remain with the organization.
It’s an interesting dilemma for the Browns. By looking to improve their offense, which certainly needs to be much better, they may have made their defense irrevocably worse at the same time.
Not only could this decision alienate some defensive stars who wanted their leader to take over the team, but it could also leave a lingering question about whether the Browns hired the wrong guy. The only way for Monken to eliminate that is to win a lot of games, and that might not be possible right away, no matter how hard he tries.
So, even though the Browns have a strong belief in the decision they made, the second-guessing could continue for quite some time.
NEXT: Report Hints At Divide Behind Browns' Todd Monken Hire
