It was clear that Kevin Stefanski brought positive things to the Cleveland Browns. He put them back on the competitive map and led them to the playoffs a couple of times; before him, Cleveland had only qualified a few times since 1999. However, the biggest flaw of the now Falcons head coach was that the offense simply did not work.
The offense – one of the worst in the NFL – ultimately led management to fire Stefanski, despite the fact that he delivered the Browns’ first playoff win since 1995. In the 2020 season, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road behind three touchdown passes from Baker Mayfield, who was discarded just one season later.
That was the major mistake of the Stefanski era in Cleveland. They had Mayfield, who, although he struggled in 2021, was not given enough patience. Instead, they signed Deshaun Watson, who turned out to be a major disappointment and is still with the team. Since signing his massive contract in 2022, he has played only 19 games and his performance has been disastrous.
Todd Monken faces a major challenge: reviving Jerry Jeudy
There is no doubt that after parting ways with Stefanski, the Browns brought in an offensive-minded head coach in Todd Monken, who did a spectacular job as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. In the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the Ravens’ offense ranked in the top five in the league, so he now faces a significant challenge in Cleveland.
One of the primary objectives on offense is to revive Jerry Jeudy, who struggled mightily in 2025. Yes, he was a victim of quarterback instability, but he also failed in key moments. He finished the season with 50 receptions for 602 yards and just two touchdowns.
Terry Pluto, via cleveland.com, reported that Monken has that specific mission regarding Jeudy: “They expect wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to have a resurgence under Monken.” The situation is concerning, especially considering Jeudy recorded 10 drops in the 2025 season, many of which negatively impacted Shedeur Sanders late in the year.
It’s worth noting that the Browns hold two first-round picks in the upcoming Draft, and they will likely use them to strengthen an offense that desperately needs help. Neither pick may be spent on a quarterback, given the perceived lack of elite talent in this class, which could mean reinforcements for the offensive line – or perhaps a surprise selection at wide receiver.
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