Three Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator Finalists Revealed

The Cleveland Browns may be one step closer to finding their next defensive coordinator to lead their championship-caliber defense next season.

After weeks of speculation about who the Browns might hire as their new defensive coordinator, it appears they have narrowed the field to a handful of candidates. Following former coordinator Jim Schwartz’s resignation after his unsuccessful bid for the head coaching job, finding a new leader for the defense quickly became the organization’s top priority.

With Schwartz deciding he did not want to coach Cleveland’s defense in 2026, especially after a large portion of the coordinator candidates had been hired elsewhere, that left Cleveland with far less options than they had likely anticipated.

Fortunately for Cleveland, one of their potential options happens to be with the team already in a defensive coaching role, while the other two have had prior success elsewhere around the league.

ESPN Senior NFL Reporter Jeremy Fowler shared the following coaching candidates with scheduled interviews in Cleveland on social media early Sunday morning.

Browns conducting in-person defensive coordinator interviews this weekend, including Texans pass-game coordinator Cory Undlin. Cleveland linebackers coach Jason Tarver and Falcons pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg also remain firmly in the mix.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 15, 2026

Jason Tarver

Tarver has been with the Browns for six seasons now, where he started as their linebackers coach, helping to craft their defense into one of the league's best in recent years. His familiarity with this defense, combined with his successful track record of developing his linebacker group automatically makes him a top candidate for the job.

During his time with Cleveland, Tarver has helped this defense reach a level of production not seen in quite some time. Through their steady ability to incorporate their linebackers into their gameplan, Tarver understands the strengths and weaknesses of not just their linebackers but the rest of their stout defense to continue their game-wrecking habits.

His name will be at the top of the conversations as Cleveland makes their decision in the coming weeks, and with head coach Todd Monken’s commitment to continuing their scheme on defense, Tarver makes the most sense for the job.

Cory Undlin

Just in the last week, Cory Undlin’s name has made waves in the media as another potential option for the Browns defensive coordinator opening. One of the biggest reasons for his consideration also stems from his familiarity with Cleveland’s scheme on defense, similar to Tarver.

Undlin coached under former Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz from 2016-19 with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was in charge of their defensive backs and helped guide them to a Super Bowl victory.

In recent years, Cory Undlin has fueled the Houston Texans' defensive success as their pass-game coordinator. With schematic similarities to Cleveland's unit, he could step right in as an aggressive play-caller and sustain that momentum. The Browns' elite defense would give him more talent to deploy than he has ever had.

Mike Rutenberg

Rutenberg is a name fans may not recognize as readily as Tarver or Undlin, but he brings the same defensive edge and intensity as the other top candidates. He’s best known for his recent work in Atlanta, where he played a key role in the Falcons’ defensive resurgence.

Since 2013, Rutenberg has worked with Jacksonville’s defensive backs, helping shape one of the NFL’s top defenses in that stretch, coming just short of a Super Bowl appearance. He has also coached linebackers with both the Jets and Falcons, where he helped retool their secondary and modernize their coverages to keep pace with today’s fast‑tempo offenses.

Cleveland needs an experienced voice to take the reins of its talented defense, one that has shown incredible promise for a team that continues to finish in the bottom half of the NFL each season. Rutenberg can bring his extensive track record, along with his ability to install new, creative ways of attacking opposing offenses, which could help the Browns be even more lethal next season than ever before.