Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken spent Wednesday answering questions about the team he left in January, and his message did not change from the first question to the last: Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens is a division game, and it is the next one.
Monken was the Ravens’ offensive coordinator for three seasons before Cleveland hired him. The 3-2 Browns host the 4-1 Ravens on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, with Baltimore alone atop the AFC North and Lamar Jackson’s sprained ankle still unresolved.
“A lot of really good memories”
Asked whether there is any emotion in facing Baltimore, Monken kept it short. “I mean, it’s a divisional game, and it’s the next one, really, is what that is,” he said. “Did I enjoy my time there? Of course. A lot of really good memories. Got a lot of good friends and people there, but other than that, no, it’s a divisional game. It’s the next one.”
He also said there was nothing awkward about how he left. Monken said the Ravens let him keep working out of his office after John Harbaugh was let go, including while he prepared for his first interview with Cleveland over Zoom. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” he said, adding that he believes the people in the building appreciated the job he did.
Monken did not think his inside knowledge gives Cleveland much of an edge. “It gets offset by us, what we do on offense, I guess, a little bit,” he said, noting that Baltimore’s defense has changed under a new staff even though the personnel is “very similar.”
Ready for Lamar or Snoop
Jackson did not practice Wednesday and remains day to day, so Cleveland is planning for both quarterbacks. “I think you prepare for the Ravens,” Monken said. “I’ve been there before where we played Snoop, and Snoop’s a really good football player and won a bunch of games as the starter.”
Tyler Huntley started in Jackson’s place in Sunday night’s overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons, and Monken said he was not surprised Baltimore brought him back. He called Huntley “a gamer” and said “the moment never gets too big for him.” He also praised new Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, saying the extra work with Jackson under center “is working.”
“It starts with coaching”
Cleveland’s own offense is still sorting out its protections in front of Deshaun Watson after Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets. Monken said the fix starts with him and his assistants. “Well, it starts with coaching. That’s where it starts. It starts with us, and that’s where it always starts,” he said, describing the quarterback and center as “the epicenter of the communication piece” on a line with two rookie starters.
“That’s not an excuse, because I’m not a big excuse guy,” Monken added. “We certainly have to find a way to be better, because we weren’t.” He said he has seen strides in the run game and in the confidence of the rookie right guard and left tackle, but the line “took a step back” in pass-protection communication.
Concepcion back on the field
Rookie receiver KC Concepcion, who was knocked out of the Jets game by a hit from safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, was set to practice on a limited basis Wednesday while he works through the concussion protocol. Monken would not rule anyone in or out. “It’s cool that it wasn’t worse than it was,” he said.
Running back Quinshon Judkins, linebacker Carson Schwesinger and defensive tackle Mason Graham were not slated to practice, Myles Simmons reported. Monken said the depleted group would do more walkthrough work in some periods while still getting full-speed reps in others. Running back Dylan Sampson, whose return window opened Wednesday, has “a chance” to play, Monken said.
No published comments yet. Start the conversation.