Why Todd Monken's second interview with Cleveland Browns might not matter

After the Baltimore Ravens fired John Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Todd Monken started surveying his options to become an NFL head coach. The Browns gave him an interview.

Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens coordinator Todd Monken on the field before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns have interviewed nine head coaching candidates in hopes of finding the next leader of the team.

While the list has a good mix of offensive and defensive coordinators, young and experienced coaches, and everything in between, the front office is going to have to start moving a bit faster than they have been in the search. Most of the individuals they've interviewed have started to branch out and get looks from other teams around the league.

NFL reporter Connor Hughes, who's based out of New York, posted on Tuesday, Jan. 20, that he believes the Giants are going to end up getting Todd Monken to join the coaching staff as the team's offensive coordinator. Monken would join a staff headlined by newly-signed head coach John Harbaugh, who just left the Baltimore Ravens a few weeks ago.

"The Giants are 'confident' things will work out with Todd Monken as their offensive coordinator under John Harbaugh, I’m told," Hughes said in a post on X. "They are still going through the process, though, per sources."

The #Giants are “confident” things will work out with Todd Monken as their offensive coordinator under John Harbaugh, I’m told.

They are still going through the process, though, per sources.

Defensively, Anthony Weaver believed to be the favorite at the moment, per sources.…

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) January 20, 2026

Monken, who was the Ravens' offensive coordinator, received two interviews with the Browns and seems to be one of the front office's favorite options for Stefanski's former job. He's had an incredible knack for developing young offensive talents, helping grow MVP-winner Lamar Jackson from a run-first quarterback to a multi-tooled passer.

An addition like Monken to Cleveland's coaching staff would have been great as they look to develop second-year signal caller Shedeur Sanders, but it's looking increasingly likely that the 59-year-old will end up in New York.

The Browns' remaining options

If the team doesn't end up securing an older, experienced mind like Monken, the front office could turn to the younger side. They've interviewed two with that characteristic, the Jacksonville Jaguars' Grant Udinski and Miami Dolphins' Mike McDaniel, who have advanced at least through the second round.

Udinski, who's just completed one season as an NFL offensive coordinator, is an interesting option. He's young and impressionable, with a mindset that's new to football. A lot of the traction he's got is because of the way he led the Jaguars' offense this past season to numerous Top 10 rankings.

On the other hand, the 42-year-old McDaniel is still in the heart of his career. Yes, his last two seasons in Miami were rough, but he led them to a 35-32 record over the course of four seasons with two playoff appearances. In 2022 and 2023, he led the offense to Top 5 rankings in yards per game on average, getting national recognition for his creativity.

For a Browns offense that has seemingly been behind the curve the last few years, new thoughts from coaches like Udinski and McDaniel could be a breath of fresh air.

For now, though, Cleveland's search for the team's next head coach remains open, but the expectation is that they'll wrap up the process in the coming weeks.

Free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, meaning the Browns have to make sure they get someone in relatively fast to not fall behind the rest of the league.

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