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The Browns are set to conduct in-person interviews in their search for Jim Schwartz’s replacement at defensive coordinator
The Cleveland Browns have had a rocky start to the offseason. After conducting a lengthy search for a new head coach, the Browns eventually hired former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. The decision proved costly, though, as the team’s defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, resigned from his post with the team after being passed over in favor of Monken in the head coach search.
With Schwartz no longer in the picture, Cleveland has had to begin looking for a new defensive coordinator. Monken has made it clear he wants to keep a similar system to the one Schwartz had in place, which led to several in-house candidates emerging as options for the job. And according to a recent report, it sounds like the race for this gig is beginning to heat up.
Browns Schedule In-Person Interviews for Defensive Coordinator Opening
Browns conducting in-person defensive coordinator interviews this weekend, including Texans pass-game coordinator Cory Undlin. Cleveland linebackers coach Jason Tarver and Falcons pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg also remain firmly in the mix.
A true frontrunner failed to ever truly emerge for the Browns in their head coach search, which led to Schwartz becoming that guy almost by default. At the last second, though, Monken emerged from seemingly out of nowhere to land the job, prompting an upset Schwartz to step down as the team’s defensive coordinator.
It’s not hard to see why Schwartz was upset. While Cleveland’s offense was a mess in 2025, its defense was one of the best units in the league. Armed with a vicious pass rush, led by Myles Garrett, and a deep secondary, Schwartz’s defense kept the Browns in several more games than they deserved to be in.
Now that he’s gone, keeping his defensive system intact is going to be easier said than done. Once again, Cleveland has been very thorough when it comes to its search for a new defensive coordinator, but it sounds like they are closing in on a decision, as in-person interviews are set to be conducted for this position, with a trio of frontrunners emerging for the job.
“Browns conducting in-person defensive coordinator interviews this weekend, including Texans pass-game coordinator Cory Undlin,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X. “Cleveland linebackers coach Jason Tarver and Falcons pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg also remain firmly in the mix.”
Who Should the Browns Hire to Be Their New Defensive Coordinator?
GettyThe Browns are set to conduct in-person interviews in their search for Jim Schwartz’s replacement at defensive coordinator
Houston Texans defensive pass game coordinator Cory Undlin and Browns linebackers coach Jason Tarver have both been favorites to land this job from the get-go, as they both have prior experience working with Schwartz. Atlanta Falcons defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg is a bit more of an outside-the-box candidate, as he doesn’t have any experience working with Schwartz or Monken.
At this point, it seems like Undlin or Tarver will be the Browns’ new defensive coordinator. They are both familiar with Schwartz’s scheme, which is clearly something Monken is prioritizing in his search, and they have a wealth of experience that the first-year head coach will be able to lean on. As the hiring of Monken showed, though, anything could happen here, making this a situation worth keeping tabs on as it nears a resolution later this week.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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