Cleveland Browns' Mike Rutenberg Defensive Coordinator Hire Gets Mediocre Grade

The Cleveland Browns have hired Mike Rutenberg as their new defensive coordinator, but how should this hire be graded as he replaces Jim Schwartz?

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive assistant Mike Rutenberg | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After a tough search to find the replacement for former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Cleveland Browns have landed on Mike Rutenberg to be the next defensive coordinator.

Rutenberg has over two decades of experience as he lands his first defensive coordinator role at any level. He spent the past season with the Atlanta Falcons as their defensive pass game coordinator, and he also has experience with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Commanders.

With many Browns fans wondering if they indeed hit a home run with this hire, there are questions about an inexperienced coordinator taking over a defense with high expectations. How should Cleveland feel about having Rutenberg on the staff?

Grading Mike Rutenberg as Browns' defensive coordinator

The upside of having Rutenberg as the defensive coordinator is the players he has worked with in the past. He has worked under some great defensive minds, including Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh and Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.

Originally, the Browns were looking for someone who had worked in a system similar to the one Schwartz ran, and the good news is there are many similarities. Based on what Rutenberg has done, this should be a similar defense that continues to lean on Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett as the focal point of the unit.

A tough challenge for Rutenberg is following up on Schwartz and the great work he has done for the Browns as defensive coordinator over the years. Despite having just five wins in 2025, the Browns' defense was ranked second overall in total defense, a rare feat for any team to accomplish when they struggle that much in a season.

The lack of experience really hurts the final grade on this, as the Browns' defense can't afford to take any tumble with an offense that new head coach Todd Monken is completely rebuilding. It helps that Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Carson Schwesinger are there, so the building blocks are in place, but Rutenberg has never called defensive plays in his career. If he wants to gain the confidence of his defensive players, he'd better get them right away.

It's hard to tell how someone is going to do in a job, as everyone has to start somewhere, but Browns fans were hoping for a more familiar face and someone who had been a part of the system. This isn't a bad hire, but it won't inspire the fan base, so it's a C+ hire.