The Opening Drive 7/31: What The Ward And Delpit Extensions Mean For Todd Monken And The Browns New Timeline; Plus Berry Appears More Comfortable Than Ever

What the most recent extension mean for Todd Monken, plus we examine Andrew Berry's press availability.

Jul 31, 2026

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Being a first-time NFL head coach is difficult enough. Doing it for the first time at 60 years old raises the stakes even more.

Todd Monken doesn’t have the luxury of being seen as a young coach learning on the job. Fair or not, coaches hired later in their careers are expected to hit the ground running. There isn’t the same assumption that they’ll get four or five years to build a program slowly.

There was a turning point this offseason when the Browns traded away the face of their franchise in Myles Garrett, where things could have gone a different direction and put Monken in a tough spot. If the Browns continue to unload veteran assets like Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit, this thing becomes a throwaway year pretty quickly. It’s easy to say lets reset again next year when things look lost, and I’m not saying they are all better or that Monken still wouldn’t have been able to keep his job, but it would have been tough with no veterans.

I think the Browns’ decision to extend both Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit is about more than rewarding two of the defense’s best players. It also tells me Andrew Berry believes this team is built to compete sooner rather than later. Needless to say, this should benefit Monken as he begins the biggest challenge of his coaching career.

To me, these extensions signal some stability, and the presence of players like Ward and Delpit helps validate the message Monken is trying to instill in his team.

Berry isn’t acting like a general manager preparing for a complete rebuild. He’s keeping the core of one of the NFL’s better defenses together while allowing his new coaching staff to establish its identity. That’s an important distinction because Monken shouldn’t be judged only by his record in Year One.

Can he establish an offensive identity that has been missing for years?

Can he develop the young talent on offense?

Can he finally provide the Browns with clarity at quarterback, whether that answer is already on the roster or eventually comes from somewhere else?

Those are the questions that matter most.

I don’t believe Monken is coaching for his job this season. In fact, barring a complete disaster, I think he should have at least another year, if not longer, to see this through.

That’s not because of his age. It’s because of the task in front of him.

The Browns are changing systems on both sides of the football. They’re evaluating a young quarterback room, implementing a new offensive philosophy and asking players to adapt to an entirely different vision than what they’ve played in over the last several seasons. That isn’t something that’s fairly judged after one year.

Progress matters in 2026.

If this offense looks more organized in December than it did in September, if the young players are developing, then Monken is doing exactly what he was hired to do.

The win total will matter, but it shouldn’t be the only measuring stick.

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