Browns ‘vibe’ very different as Todd Monken’s staff, new players set faster ‘pace’

Fans of the Cleveland Browns are oh so close to getting to see what the team will look like on the field under HC Todd Monken after six seasons with HC Kevin Stefanski. DBN readers are mostly positive about Monken so far, despite him “dithering” over the quarterback decision, but everything changes when preseason games are played.

Then everything changes when it comes time for the regular season.

Browns GM Andrew Berry has once again been proven to provide the team with quality young guys, with his last two NFL draft classes shining. The lack of certainty at the quarterback position continues to “suck up all the oxygen,” but Cleveland’s roster has a lot of exciting pieces on it heading into the 2026 season.

Besides making the oxygen-related comment, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer also came away impressed with the Browns coaching staff and new players during his day with the team:

• One thing that was really noticeable to me was the pace and vibe of this place. There’s a lot of energy in how Monken and coordinators Travis Switzer, Mike Rutenberg and Byron Storer, all first-timers in their roles, are leading. The makeup of the past two draft classes—players such as Carson Schwesinger, Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, Harold Fannin Jr., Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston—is undeniably part of it. So, too, are the new guys coming in. Jared Verse, acquired in June in the trade for Myles Garrett, has wasted no time taking a major leadership role in the locker room and has quickly emerged as a tone-setter. And linebacker Quincy Williams, who was with Rutenberg for four years with the Jets, has done the same. What will that add up to? I think a team that buys in and plays hard. We’ll see how it translates to wins and losses.

As Breer notes, playing hard and being bought in doesn’t guarantee anything in the win-loss column.

It is, however, always notable when national media come around for their once-a-year visit to Berea. Unlike the media and fans that are present and checking in regularly, Breer’s visit gives him a snapshot from year to year to see the changes and growth. His statement echoes some of what I heard and noticed in my visit to Browns training camp this year. The speed and amount of reps that the team is going through under Monken is more, by a significant amount, compared to Stefanski.

How much do you think the buy in and speed of practice will matter for the team this year?