Monken admits Browns' problem is becoming ‘counterproductive to winning’

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Todd Monken admits Browns' problem is becoming ‘counterproductive to winning’

By Chris Pownall | Last updated Sep 29, 2026 2:04 PM ET

Three games into the season, Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken isn't hiding from the problems holding his offense back. With another AFC North game coming quickly, he acknowledged that Cleveland's growing pains are beginning to have a real cost.

Browns' young offense is still trying to catch up

Cleveland is working through a new offensive system with several young players being asked to handle different responsibilities. During his Tuesday press conference, Monken admitted the Browns may occasionally be asking too much of them too soon.

That was particularly true when he discussed Cleveland's young receivers and everything they're being asked to process.

“We want to find different spots we can play them, right? And at times it's counterproductive because we just haven't gotten through all of the nuances that go with each spot,” Monken said.

Those responsibilities can change depending on whether a receiver is lined up inside, outside, to the boundary or to the field. Monken pointed out that Cleveland has inexperienced players at several offensive positions, leaving them without much previous NFL experience to lean on.

He wasn't interested in using youth as an excuse.

“Those aren't excuses,” Monken said. “We got to be cleaner and we got to play a lot better. Got to coach it better.”

Todd Monken admits mistakes are hurting Browns

The issue goes beyond simply learning where to line up.

Monken explained that modern NFL offenses require receivers to make considerably more adjustments based on what defenses show them. Routes can change depending on coverage, while quarterbacks also have the ability to make checks at the line of scrimmage.

That's a lot to process in a new system, and Cleveland is experiencing the downside that comes with it.

“We're finding out as we're working through a new system is some of the mistakes that we're making that's counterproductive to winning, to moving the football and stacking plays,” Monken said.

Monken didn't dump the problem on his players, either. He immediately added that fixing it starts with him, then Cleveland's offensive staff and players.

There is some patience involved here. Monken repeatedly pointed to the experience his younger players will gain simply by playing more snaps. He expects them to continue improving as those reps pile up.

The Browns don't have much time to wait this week.

Cleveland faces the Pittsburgh Steelers on a short turnaround, leaving far less practice time than a normal week. Monken said the Browns will get some full-speed work before relying heavily on walkthroughs and jog-through work as they prepare for Thursday night.

Learning a new offense was always going to come with mistakes. Monken's concern now is making sure those mistakes stop costing Cleveland opportunities to win.

Chris Pownall

Chris Pownall is a Contributor to Yardbarker covering all major sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, college athletics, and the biggest storylines shaping the sports world. His work focuses on timely analysis, strong opinion, and the narratives fans are actually talking about. He also serves as an NFL Analyst for Last Word on Sports, where he provides in depth coverage and league wide perspective on the NFL

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