Todd Monken has been appointed as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns. The former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator will bring his play-calling within the AFC North, and perhaps by design, this could actually be a great sign for young QB Shedeur Sanders.
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For now, Browns fans don’t seem to be too pleased with Monken’s arrival. The team labelled their coaching search this offseason as “one of the most robust” it has ever conducted, so it’s interesting they landed on the OC of a division rival who led a middle-of-the-pack offense this past season.
Shedeur, however, should be very happy with Monken’s arrival. One of the doubts surrounding the QB’s future was whether a new head coach would approve of him. But we know that the Ravens had interest in Shedeur this past draft. They nearly selected him, but the Colorado product reportedly expressed disinterest in playing behind Lamar Jackson, who was not going to lose his starting job anytime soon.
From this, we can still assume that Monken likes Shedeur and has studied him as a prospect. We also know the former OC has a strong track record of getting the most out of his offensive players. From Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers in Baltimore to helping develop players like Dwayne Bowe, Buster Davis, and Justin Blackmon in college.
Moreover, Jackson earned his second career MVP while playing under Monken in 2023, and Flowers has now made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons. Earlier in his career, during stops at LSU and Oklahoma State, Monken helped turn Bowe, Davis, and Blackmon into first-round wide receiver picks.
The Ravens’ offense under Monken, outside of this past season, was highly productive. In 2024, they became the first team in NFL history to post 4,000-plus passing yards and 3,000-plus rushing yards in a single season. In 2023, they finished with the fourth-highest points per game.
All in all, there are a lot of positives for Shedeur with Monken’s arrival. It appears the Pro Bowl QB is set to get a second season as the Browns’ starter. That’s what fans want to see, and it will be interesting to see whether the offensive-minded coach can turn the raw prospect into a more impactful player.
