There is a dark cloud that typically hangs over the Cleveland Browns organization.
Todd Monken is the latest head coach to attempt to clear the skies, hoping this franchise with a history of losing, can become a winner. As for how he can change the perception of the Browns from the NFL’s “Murphy’s Law” example to a success story, well, that part is simple.
Advertisement
“Winning changes everything,” Monken said at a press conference on April 7.
“I told the coaches that the other day. How does a player stop a narrative? Play well. How do we stop a narrative on offense? Score. How do we stop a narrative of [not] winning? Win. It’s pretty freaking simple. Is that not life in general? If there is a narrative that you’re not a good husband, well change, be a good husband.
“Change the narrative. Become that.”
The group that figures to have the biggest hand in changing the narrative is the quarterback room. It’s a room that doesn’t include a clear starter entering the 2026 season, with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel all set to compete for the gig.
Monken told reporters ahead of the NFL combine on Feb. 25 that the players will decide who plays, a message he reiterated during his latest press conference.
Advertisement
Voluntary workouts began on April 7, allowing the players to make a first impression. It’s early, but Monken is happy with the early returns.
“I was fired up,” Monken said. “I thought all three guys were bright-eyed, wanting to learn. You couldn’t ask for a better start in that QB room.”
Monken didn’t have an answer for which quarterback will see the most reps to start offseason workouts, saying there is enough to like about all three on the roster.
“I really, it’s been brought up a lot more to me than really what I think about, other than, yeah, someone’s going to have to start off first and someone’s going to go second, someone’s going to go third,” Monken said. “Then we’ll be willing to switch that. That’s easily, on a daily basis, what we see, just like any position, that’s not set in stone. That’s something we can flip, just like the practice plays. We can flip that any given day to how we see fit that gives us the best chance to develop our players.
Advertisement
“Now, how they go about it, how they study, how they take care of their body, how they manage our team, how they lead, those are set in stone. Those are non-negotiables.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Todd Monken ‘fired up’ by QB room, wants to change Browns’ perception
Read the full article here
