Browns

Browns HC Todd Monken explained what he saw in newly-hired DC Mike Rutenberg and how he could be an extension of what Jim Schwartz built defensively in Cleveland.

“He’d been in a similar system, but not the exact system, because Jim (Schwartz) was unique,” Monken said, via Browns Wire. “And they can say attacking style, but then there’s attacking style, which is what they’ve done here up front. And I think that background of being a four-down attacking style, but not exact, (and) to add some things that they had done before that I thought would mesh really well with the current staff, was a big part of that. And I thought his energy, his ability to teach, his juice, I mean, it popped. It was what I was looking for.”

• Jeremy Fowler reports that the Browns are adding two-time HC Dom Capers as a senior defensive assistant, the same role he previously held with the Panthers.

Ravens

Things will look different in Baltimore this season with HC John Harbaugh moving on to coach the Giants and former Chargers DC Jesse Minter taking over as the Ravens’ head coach.

Minter was previously with the team as a defensive assistant for three years from 2017 until 2020.

“There’s a great piece of being here before and understanding the foundation, understanding a lot of the history [and] understanding what this place has been built on, while also having formulated some of my own, different ideas over the last few years,” said Minter, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “There’s a foundational way that the Ravens play that we need to play like, but I also think that there’s a new age and a new way to do things, and that’s the reason we’re all sitting up here. Change can be embraced, change can energize people, and so we really look forward to it.”

“I think it’ll be up to everybody watching us to see what’s different about it. Not necessarily us, but everybody [will be] watching to determine what maybe the differences are. These three guys will help us create the vision of what we want the team to be like, and how we want to play,” Minter added. “We want to be a physically dominant team that really plays together, plays well-connected and plays football the right way.”

Minter was referring to his new coordinators, OC Declan Doyle, DC Anthony Weaver, and former Ravens DB Anthony Levine, now the ST coordinator.

“I knew that the first time I was going to call plays probably wasn’t going to be in a smaller setting, it was probably going to be with the bright lights,” Doyle said. “I felt like I needed to prepare for that early. So, in that way, I’ve kind of been preparing just to be able to call it and kind of how your mind works, but really the work during the week is what counts, and that’s been a part of really every job that I’ve had.”

“I’d be lying to you to sit here and say that I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t get a head job,” Weaver commented. “But ultimately, I just came back to, ‘Why am I doing this to begin with?’ Selfishly, I’m in it to try to win a Super Bowl, to be part of a group that’s forever. So, just like you had the 25th anniversary of that 2000 team this last year, I want that. I want to be a part of that. I am incredibly proud to be the coordinator here in Baltimore, because I think the defensive coordinator, to me, in Baltimore, that’s like the main defensive coordinator in the National Football League. You’re ‘The Dude,’ and I feel that way about this job.”

“Playing like a Raven means something,” Levine added. “And that’s what we do here. It’s a culture here. We’re here to win games, and we are here to win championships. That’s what we strive to do, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Steelers

• Steelers GM Omar Khan has been in communication with QB Aaron Rodgers, but there’s no update. He doesn’t expect it to take as long as last year, but wouldn’t define a timeline. (Brooke Pryor)
• Khan on Rodgers: “I think we’re gonna have an answer sooner rather than later… It’s fluid, I’ll just say that. I don’t expect this to be like it was last year.” (Jeremy Bergman)
• Khan said the Steelers would love RB Kenneth Gainwell back, and they’ve had contact with his reps about a potential contract. (Nick Farabaugh)
• Regarding LB Patrick Queen‘s future with the team heading into the final year of his deal: “He likes being here and we like having him part of the team… I’m excited to have him around.” (Farabaugh)
• Khan said he would take 20 TE Darnell Washington‘s on his team if he could, and was clear about their desire to keep him long term. (Farabaugh)
• When it comes to QB Will Howard, Khan revealed he and HC Mike McCarthy watched his practice tape in depth from the entire season. Their takeaways were that they saw a lot of promising growth, such as his mental adjustment to the speed of the game. (Farabaugh)
• Despite a rough rookie year, Khan defended RB Kaleb Johnson and expects him to make a big jump in year two: “Obviously, what you guys saw on the field was disappointing, it’s gotta be better. But we see it on the practice field, we knew what he did in college, and I expect Kaleb to turn a corner.” (Travis May)
• Khan is adamant DB Jalen Ramsey can still play outside CB, slot CB and safety despite only playing safety last year. Khan wouldn’t label where he will play for sure in 2026. (Farabaugh)