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Todd Monken is already setting the tone for a revamped Cleveland Browns roster.
Through several practices this spring, including this past week's first round of OTAs the Browns new head man is hard to miss out. He's louder, demands things are run correctly and resets the play if its not. He also uses every second of the two hours he's allotted for practice.
It's a refreshing perspective for a team that is in the middle of a rebuild, headlined by two promising draft classes each of the last two years. You can count 2025 first-round pick Mason Graham in on Monken's new approach to the team's preparation this spring.
"He's from that Ravens' tree," said Graham. "I played for (Jim) Harbaugh, so I feel like there's kind of a similar resemblance there, all about hard work. He wants to get a lot of plays. I think like him too. I feel like the best way good at football is playing football and getting reps. So that's what I like."
As Graham noted, he spent his college days under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan from 2022-2024, where he must have seen a similar practice philosophy and liked it.
Meanwhile, Monken worked as an offensive coordinator for Jim's older brother, John Harbaugh in Baltimore each of the last three seasons before accepting the Browns head coaching gig this offseason.
Monken has openly talked about the fact that he was anticipating he'd end up following Harbaugh to his new post with the New York Giants until the Browns offered him the job.
Even though they landed in different places, their shared affinity for running tougher practices is expected to be a tone setter both in New York and here in Cleveland. In some ways, Monken may be implementing this new approach at the perfect time, considering how young and impressionable the roster is right now. And guys like Graham buying in will be at the forefront of changing the culture of the franchise.
Monken isn't the only change Graham is buying into. The team's new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg has also started rubbing off on Graham and his teammates.
"I feel like he's a player's coach. He just wants to be around the guys. He wants us to talk to him like he's another one of us on the field," Graham said of Rutenberg. "I really like his energy. He brings a lot of juice to defense and I feel like that's a good thing for us."
What this new shift in mentality means for the Browns on the field remains to be seen. But after back-to-back seasons that produced eight combined wins, a shift in culture may be exactly what's needed.
Browns Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Browns. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
Continue reading...
Through several practices this spring, including this past week's first round of OTAs the Browns new head man is hard to miss out. He's louder, demands things are run correctly and resets the play if its not. He also uses every second of the two hours he's allotted for practice.
It's a refreshing perspective for a team that is in the middle of a rebuild, headlined by two promising draft classes each of the last two years. You can count 2025 first-round pick Mason Graham in on Monken's new approach to the team's preparation this spring.
"He's from that Ravens' tree," said Graham. "I played for (Jim) Harbaugh, so I feel like there's kind of a similar resemblance there, all about hard work. He wants to get a lot of plays. I think like him too. I feel like the best way good at football is playing football and getting reps. So that's what I like."
As Graham noted, he spent his college days under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan from 2022-2024, where he must have seen a similar practice philosophy and liked it.
Meanwhile, Monken worked as an offensive coordinator for Jim's older brother, John Harbaugh in Baltimore each of the last three seasons before accepting the Browns head coaching gig this offseason.
Monken has openly talked about the fact that he was anticipating he'd end up following Harbaugh to his new post with the New York Giants until the Browns offered him the job.
Even though they landed in different places, their shared affinity for running tougher practices is expected to be a tone setter both in New York and here in Cleveland. In some ways, Monken may be implementing this new approach at the perfect time, considering how young and impressionable the roster is right now. And guys like Graham buying in will be at the forefront of changing the culture of the franchise.
Monken isn't the only change Graham is buying into. The team's new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg has also started rubbing off on Graham and his teammates.
"I feel like he's a player's coach. He just wants to be around the guys. He wants us to talk to him like he's another one of us on the field," Graham said of Rutenberg. "I really like his energy. He brings a lot of juice to defense and I feel like that's a good thing for us."
What this new shift in mentality means for the Browns on the field remains to be seen. But after back-to-back seasons that produced eight combined wins, a shift in culture may be exactly what's needed.
Browns Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Browns. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
Continue reading...
