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Cleveland Browns assistant defensive backs coach Brandon Lynch
One of the happy offshoots of the way things unfolded between the Cleveland Browns and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was that, by the time the team delivered the bad news to Schwartz that he was not going to be the new head coach, it was too late in the game for Schwartz tog et serious consideration for coordinator jobs elsewhere. That benefited the Browns because it meant that Schwartz would not be available to poach the team’s defensive staff, which was all under contract for 2026.
Still, in hiring an outside coordinator–Mike Rutenberg of the Falcons got the job this week, beating inside candidate Jason Tarver and Monken friend Cory Undlin–the Browns created some uncertainty as to how many of the current batch of coaches would stick around.
Remember, the stated goal of Monken and the organization was to bring in a defensive coordinator who would keep things steady and run much the same system as Schwartz had run, which was a good idea considering Schwartz’s defense was No. 2 in the NFL last year.
Mike Rutenberg Will Keep Brandon Lynch
Rutenberg took his first step to keeping stability on the staff on Thursday, as it was reported that he was keeping cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch on board, with a promotion. Lynch will now be defensive backs coach and passing game specialist on Rutenberg’s staff.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS, Lynch got some attention from around this league this offseason, and that might have led to some sort of promise from the Browns that he would be taken care of.
Wrote Jones on Twitter/X: “The Browns have promoted Brandon Lynch to DBs coach/pass game specialist, sources tell @NFLonCBS. Lynch, considered a future DC candidate, was pursued by multiple teams this offseason. The respected coach stays in Cleveland with the new coaching regime.”
The Browns were rated No. 11 in pass coverage this past season by Pro Football Focus.
Browns Still Sticking With Schwartz System?
There is still a whole staff for Rutenberg to fill out, and a crew of coaches that has been on hold while the Browns conducted their search for a defensive coordinator, which ran for 10 days. Tarver would have made some sense if continuity was the sole goal, since he had been in Cleveland throughout Schwartz’s tenure as the DC.
But it will be Rutenberg. Now, it will remain to be seen whether Monken nudges Rutenberg to stick to the suggestion that the Browns stick with Schwartz’s system.
Said Monken back when he was introduced in Cleveland: “My anticipation is we’re not going to change the system. Very difficult to go against – not planning on changing the system. We’re built for the system that they’re in currently. …
“They can be rest assured that we’re going to keep the same system. We’re still going to let them attack; we’re still going to let them play free. I can’t see any other way. They’re a big reason why I took this job, the defensive players. I didn’t take this job because of Jim Schwartz, I have a lot of respect for Jim Schwartz, as I would hope he has for me. But I’d tell you, because of the players that are here, the ownership, Andrew Berry and the ability to build this roster from the ground up on the offensive side.”
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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