Rich Eisen Reveals His Power Ranking For Browns With Todd Monken

This year’s NFL hiring cycle for head coaches tied a record with 10 vacant jobs being filled. Most of those teams were among the worst in the league, including the Cleveland Browns, so there is nowhere to go but up.

Some teams are in a better situation for that new head coach than others, such as John Harbaugh inheriting quarterback Jaxson Dart from the New York Giants. The same could be said last season, when Mike Vrabel took over the New England Patriots with second-year QB Drake Maye waiting and then went all the way to the Super Bowl.

NFL analyst Rich Eisen recently revealed his power rankings for teams with a new head coach who could see a turnaround like Vrabel’s, and he did not have much confidence in what the Browns will do under Todd Monken, putting them at No. 9 out of 10.

“I need to see what Deshaun Watson’s going to look like for Todd Monken, because I’d be surprised if he doesn’t start. What else are they going to do on the offensive side of the ball? Defensively, Jim Schwartz is gone. So, I’m putting Todd Monken’s Browns here ninth on my power rankings of teams with new head coaches who could make a Vrabel-like turnaround,” Eisen said.

The Browns do have two potential starting quarterbacks available, but neither inspires much confidence. Watson has epically failed to live up to the huge investment that was made in him four years ago, and Shedeur Sanders showed he was deserving of his fifth-round draft status during his rookie season.

Of course, the Browns could improve at the position once the NFL marketplace opens next month. Malik Willis is a potential free agent target, and C.J. Stroud could become available in a trade. Either one would likely improve Cleveland’s outlook.

However, the Browns still have to overcome the absence of defensive coordinator Schwartz, who resigned after losing out to Monken for the head coaching position. The Cleveland defense ranked fourth in the league this season, and it was No. 1 in 2023.

In addition, Monken is a first-time NFL head coach whose staff will be led by two first-time lead coordinators at any level. Travis Switzer on offense and Mike Rutenberg on defense are likely to face some difficulties along the way.

That is a lot to deal with to just make the playoffs, let alone make the Super Bowl like Vrabel did with the Patriots.