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Browns Rumors: OC Todd Monken's Arrival 'Has Not Gone as Smoothly as Planned'
June 13, 2019
Todd Monken's takeover of the Cleveland Browns offense "has not gone as smoothly as planned," according to NFL Network's Mike Silver.
The result? "Freddie Kitchens playing a greater role in spearheading the offense than originally intended," Silver added.
Kitchens spent 2018 as the Browns offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach in January, so it would stand to reason that he is stepping in to aid Monken in adjusting to an offense that he is already familiar with.
"Kitchens has been doing more in offensive meetings the past few weeks, but only because he's been gathering input from all the assistants and must make decisions on how the scheme will ultimately play out," Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot wrote.
Cabot also relayed that Monken had noted during Cleveland's May OTAs that the team's offense was a work in progress as the staff tried to master mixing schemes from offenses Kitchens, Monken and offensive line coach James Campen have run in the past.
Monken served as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.
For the Bucs' Week 10 game against Washington, then-head coach Dirk Koetter took over play-calling from Monken despite the team entering that game leading the NFL in passing offense and ranking second in total offense, the Tampa Bay Times' Eduardo Encina wrote at the time.
Tampa Bay only mustered three points in a 16-3 loss, and Monken regained his play-calling duties the following week.
However, upon his arrival to Cleveland, Monken agreed to let Kitchens remain in charge of play-calling.
"I'm very impressed that Todd made that decision," Kitchens said in January, according to the Associated Press. "He showed an investment in me and showed an investment in what we're trying to build and the vision where we're taking this thing. He made a decision based on people. Our decisions here are going to be made on people."
With receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suiting up for the first time in Cleveland next season and Baker Mayfield entering his sophomore season under center after a promising rookie season, the expectations for this offense are high regardless of who has control over the play-calling.