Cleveland’s 2022 Deshaun Watson trade once defined the franchise’s direction. Four years later, the Browns have again opted for upheaval, this time swapping out their head coach, overhauling the defensive staff, and trading Myles Garrett less than six months after he set the NFL single-season sack record.
The numbers forced the issue. Kevin Stefanski was fired after another double-digit loss season and a fourth-place AFC North finish. Cleveland’s third such result in four years. General manager Andrew Berry led a coaching search that skipped over defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, instead hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Schwartz resigned soon after, turning a head coaching change into a full-scale reset across all three phases.
Monken wasted no time assembling a staff that mirrors his Baltimore blueprint. He brought in Travis Switzer, his Ravens run-game coordinator, to oversee the Browns offense. Mike Rutenberg, formerly the Falcons’ defensive pass-game coordinator, steps in for Schwartz. Byron Storer arrives from the Packers to run special teams. Each hire comes with a clear mandate: Switzer handles the ground game, Rutenberg brings a pass-game focus to the defense.
Draft capital and line stability define the next phase
Instead of chasing a quarterback, Berry prioritized the trenches. Armed with ample 2026 draft capital and speculation swirling about a move for a signal-caller, he traded down from No. 6 to No. 9 and selected left tackle Spencer Fano. Protecting the line took precedence over finding an immediate quarterback solution, a decision that underscores how Cleveland’s quarterback question still looms over Berry’s seventh roster.
Receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, along with safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, rounded out the top of the draft class. Analysts praised the haul for a second straight year, but the approach was clear: spread resources across premium positions rather than invest everything in a quarterback. Under a new head coach, the Browns are playing the long game. They may need another rough season to position themselves for a franchise quarterback in the 2027 draft.
The Garrett trade changed everything. Cleveland sent its record-setting edge rusher to the Rams in exchange for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-rounder, and a conditional 2029 third. The deal also shifted live betting markets. Berry had publicly denied shopping Garrett, but a late-March contract tweak opened the door to offers, and the Browns took one that reset their future.
| Browns offseason move | Immediate effect | Future asset impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fired Kevin Stefanski | Replaced by Todd Monken | New coaching staff across all phases |
| Traded Myles Garrett | Acquired EDGE Jared Verse | First, second and conditional third-round picks |
| Moved from No. 6 to No. 9 | Selected left tackle Spencer Fano | Passed on an expected quarterback move |
| Acquired Tytus Howard | Filled an offensive line opening | Signed two-year, $45 million extension |
Losing Garrett is seismic. He just set the league’s single-season sack record, and now the Browns are betting on Verse, an ascending edge talent, to fill the void. The trade signals a clear direction: Cleveland is willing to endure short-term pain for a younger defender and a trove of draft picks spread over three years. Berry gains flexibility, but the defense loses its cornerstone.
Offensive line stability became another urgent priority. With the entire starting unit set to hit free agency, Berry sent pick No. 141 to Houston for Tytus Howard, then locked him up with a two-year, $45 million extension. The move addressed both a roster hole and a looming contract issue in one stroke.
Monken inherits a roster built for a reset, not a quick fix. The Garrett trade alone brings in a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second, and a conditional 2029 third. Cleveland is betting on patience, youth, and a new vision, one that starts with Jared Verse, not Myles Garrett.
