Todd Monken Laser Focused on One Thing Cleveland Browns Need the Most

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken is being tasked with a difficult assignment to continue developing the roster that Kevin Stefanski helped bring along.

The Browns had the most rookie snaps out of any team in the NFL last season, and a good chunk of their players will be very young in 2026. Monken and the staff that he puts together will have to do their best to get this team developed the right way. Monken shared how he plans to do that.

“Well, I think first off as coaches, we can never forget that we have a job for our players, ever – that’s why we have a job. And we are in the development business, I know that’s just the start of it, I’m kind of repeating what you said, because no one has a ready-made roster. You only have so many picks, that’s what you have," Monken said.

"So, it starts with the top that believes in that, then the head coach, then down to the assistant coaches, that we’re going to coach everybody – at some point they’re all going to play for us, at some point that’s going to come up. And the best way to build our confidence is to spend time with them, that’s the best biggest thing. And to develop every aspect of their game – that’s in the classroom and on the field. And everybody has a hand in this. Everybody from sports science to our coaching staff to what we’ve seen at the beginning, in terms of their skill set and how that fits with what we want to do.”

Todd Monken, the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns, discusses how he will approach the game. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Monken Has Vision For Coaching Staff

Throughout the next couple of weeks, Monken will look to build his coaching staff that he feels aligns with his methods and teachings. However, he doesn't have an exact plan that he was willing to share with members of the media during his introductory press conference.

"I mean we’re going to vet as many candidates as we can to get it right. When I was the head coach at Southern Miss, we lost a coach and Pete Golding, who’s now the head coach at Ole Miss, he was our eighth safety interview, our eighth. Our D-coordinator was absolutely livid of why it took so long," Monken said.

"We didn’t get the right hire; we hadn’t found it yet. I think, just like they all vetted for the head coach coaching position, don’t get worn out – make sure you get the right people at the start, and that’s what we’re going to do. So, there is no timeline to get it right.”

The Browns want to run a thorough process so that they can get the best people in the building as possible. If they can execute this plan, the Browns should have a very good coaching staff.