The Opening Drive 2/20: Mike Rutenberg Keeps Continuity, and Browns Must Avoid Trade Pitfalls
The Browns did well defining roles and keeping the core of the defense intact.
The Browns preached defensive continuity throughout the hiring process. It was an unusual thing to emphasize when hiring a new head coach who doesn’t come from that side of the ball, but nonetheless, they made it a focal point. That plan was turned upside down when Jim Schwartz decided to resign as defensive coordinator, as we know.
The logical decision would have been to keep the staff intact by promoting from within, and it appeared that Jason Tarver, the linebackers coach, or Ephraim Banda, the safeties coach, would make the most sense. Both interviewed for the role, but the decision ultimately rested with head coach Todd Monken. He chose to reconnect with a former colleague — someone who could maintain a similar thought process within the current scheme while bringing a fresh perspective to the secondary. He selected Mike Rutenberg.
That opened the door for the same dynamic that followed Schwartz’s arrival to happen all over again: internal candidates passed over, with ego potentially coming into play. However, it’s a welcome sight to see that Monken and Rutenberg worked to bypass that issue. Over the last two days, they have focused on internal promotions — both in title and, I’m sure, financially as well. It started yesterday with Brandon Lynch taking over as full defensive backs coach and pass game specialist.
When the update on Lynch landed, it meant he was also taking over the safeties, which put Banda’s current role in jeopardy. While Banda leaving was a possibility, I had a feeling it would come with a title promotion, and being named pass game coordinator made sense. It’s one of the pathways many coaches take before earning their own defensive coordinator role. That news came out today.
We also now know that Tarver will be named the Browns’ defensive run game coordinator as well. That makes three promotions for the Browns’ top three assistants — all of which make plenty of sense for climbing the ladder and keeping continuity in place.
Don’t worry too much about the titles. They mean very little in reality other than serving as résumé builders and signaling to the rest of the league who a franchise believes has a bright future. Coaches under coordinators have always been specialized in their work, but over the last roughly five years, we’ve seen an uptick in those labeled run or pass game coordinator. Again, it helps distinguish those who assist a particular phase of an offense or defense in finding success.
The “specialist” label is even newer — another designation meant to show progress for a young coach and identify him as someone with potential. If you recall, Tommy Rees was the Browns’ pass game specialist in his first year with the organization while also serving as tight ends coach.
Don’t get too caught up in the labels or the specific duties attached to them. Just know those labels matter in terms of long-term outlook. They signal coaches the franchise believes have real potential. The Browns certainly feel that way about all three receiving new titles today.
Below you’ll find the latest in the BFB catalog for supporters to dig into. Click the link to become a supporter if you haven’t already, and enjoy all the latest from Browns Film Breakdown.
Latest Podcasts:
Latest Articles:
Opening Drive 2/19: The Best Offensive Linemen of 2026 Free Agency
Opening Drive 2/18: Multiple Offensive Tackle Solutions Presented
Latest Film Rooms:
Cleveland Browns 2026 Staff Tracker
As the Browns work through their new staff in both the previous week, and coming weeks, we will do our best at Browns Film Breakdown to keep these updates in one precise location for you to constantly keep tabs on what the organization is doing.
The offseason circuit brings opportunity, and every bad NFL team feels like it can hit on that turnaround. The league thrives on parity tied to the salary cap cycle and general player longevity, and with that cycle comes the temptation to take shortcuts in order to fix team issues. The Browns are no strangers to the process, having made mega trades for Deshaun Watson, Odell Beckham Jr., Amari Cooper, and several others over the last decade.
They’ve had mixed results. We know how the Watson debacle has unfolded and how the OBJ experiment failed, but they have found some success with Cooper and Jeudy (at least for one season). The Browns once again find themselves tied to the trade rumor mill — this time involving the Eagles’ A.J. Brown. The veteran receiver has been unhappy for the better part of two seasons, one of which resulted in a Super Bowl ring, and the now 29-year-old is the subject of many mock deals this offseason.
Brown is talented, no doubt, but the Browns cannot go down the same path with receivers like Brown — similar to Beckham — who have larger-than-life personas and need the ball constantly to find football happiness. What the team needs are low-maintenance grinders who will do their jobs and focus on the team aspect of an offense trying to find its identity. Fewer distractions and more focus on what makes the collective better.
Making a trade for someone like Brown will always be tempting, but this roster doesn’t need the services of a player in the back half of his career to turn the corner. They need young pieces they can build around. Shortcutting this part of the offensive build will not yield the desired results and letting go of more premium picks to do so isn’t the type of fiscal build the team can afford. Stick to the process, as they say.
Browns Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
