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Todd Monken answers questions from the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns
The big hire we’ve all been waiting for from new Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken–a defensive coordinator to replace Jim Schwartz–is still on hold, but that’s hardly the only the only spot on the staff that has needed addressing. While Monken was chosen as the head coach to replace Kevin Stefanski mostly because the team views him as the right man to turn around a league-worst offense, that was not the only phase of the game that was badly in need of improvement in Cleveland.
There’s also the matter of the Browns’ special teams, which were, at best inconsistent and at worst a disaster over the course of this season. Two losses fell directly at the feet of special teams: the opener against the Bengals (a missed 36-year field goal with a little more than two minutes to play in was was a one-point loss), and the Week 10 loss to the Jets, in which the Browns gave up a 99-yard kick return touchdowns and a 74-yard punt return touchdown in a 27-20 loss.
Throw in a blocked punt that set up a field goal for Tennessee in a two-point loss in Week 14, and this might have been an eight-win team if not for Bubba Ventrone‘s shaky bunch.
Browns Hiring Byron Storer From Packers
But Ventrone has moved on, now coaching the special teams with the Rams. In his place, according to reports on Tuesday, Monken and the Browns have brought in a Packers assistant.
According to reporter Ari Meirov, “Source: The #Browns are hiring #Packers Assistant Special Teams Coordinator Byron Storer as their new Special Teams Coordinator. A big hire for HC Todd Monken, Storer has been a key assistant for Rich Bisaccia with the Raiders and Packers and now gets to run his own unit in Cleveland.”
Storer is a former Buccaneers fullback who had been in Green bay since 2022.
As bad as things got under Ventrone, it should be pointed out that the team saddled him with a wave of rookies who had little special teams experience. And it showed, frequently.
Duce Staley Staying Put for Todd Monken
In addition to bringing in Storer, Monken also decided to keep current running backs coach Duce Staley in place, again according to reports. As Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland wrote, “Todd Monken is keeping running backs coach Duce Staley on his coaching staff, per source.”
Staley is a well-known figure for his days as a player, when he topped 1,200 yards from scrimmage four times in 10 years with the Eagles and the Steelers. Staley came to Cleveland as running backs coach in 2024 after holding the same job with the Panthers and Lions before that.
The Browns were not great on the ground last year, averaging 3.9 yards per carry (28th) and totaling 1,649 yards on the ground, which was 27th. But the Browns were trying to run behind an offensive line decimated by injuries, and were without star rookie Quinshon Judkins for three weeks.
Both Judkins and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson showed progress this season, and for the Browns, it was important to keep that continuity in place.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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