The Cleveland Browns had something of an unofficial opening to the Todd Monken era on Tuesday with the first day of the voluntary offseason program, which saw players gather at the team facility in Barea to begin getting into the team’s playbook and new schemes. Monken will be making changes, of course, from former coach Kevin Stefanski, who was fired after last year’s 5-12 showing. The Browns will have new coordinators across the board, with Travis Switzer the offensive coordinator, Mike Rutenberg the defensive coordinator and Byron Storer in at special teams coordinator.
As much as the Browns can take some heart in the players who were there in the building, the one looming issue is who was not there: Myles Garrett, the biggest star on the team and the new record holder for most sacks in an NFL season.
Now, Garrett does not typically attend voluntary offseason programs, so it was neither unexpected nor concerning that he was not there. But with a new coach in town and with trade rumors around Garrett having cropped up in recent weeks, it might have been reassuring to have him in the building.
Todd Monken: ‘I’m Not Worried About Myles Garrett’
Monken, speaking to Browns media on Wednesday afternoon, acknowledged he’d prefer to have Garrett in the building, but that he is not reading too much into the star’s absence. He did say that, maybe in the future, the offseason program will show enough results that even stars like Garrett will want to attend.
Said Monken: “As I said before, this thing is voluntary, for our players to be here. I think if you asked every coach in the NFL if they would like every player to be there for that, of course. I think there are certain parts to what we do from a connection standpoint that I think it is important to be here. From a schematic standpoint. From a work standpoint? Not so much.
“And it is our job to make it to where the guys want to be here, not just by their job but their development, the camaraderie, being part of a team. Hell, I’ve been part of a team since I was 5 years old, there is nothing like it. I wouldn’t miss it, because that’s me. That’s how I am wired. But it is voluntary. Myles will be ready. I am not worried about Myles.”
GettyBrowns coach Todd Monken.
Browns Offseason Schedule Set
That’s the main thrust of these few days that Monken and his new staff will have with the players–it’s a time of getting introduced to the playbook and getting the Browns to begin making team connections.
This will be the start of “Phase One” of the Browns’ offseason, which the team website describes:
“Phase One is the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only. The Browns will also hold an extra voluntary veteran minicamp April 21-23 following the first phase of the program.”
Phase Two will follow, in which the Browns can work out with players on a limited basis over a three-week period in May that includes rookie minicamp. Phase Three will be in late May and June, and features three limited-contact OTA practices, plus a mandatory minicamp from June 9-11.
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