The Cleveland Browns are clearly in need of some major changes on the offensive side of the ball, but head coach Freddie Kitchens giving up his playcalling duties is not going to be one of them.
Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken was asked on Thursday about the possibility of him calling some plays during the second half of the season, and he said it is not something that has been considered. Monken said he knew from the start that he would not be responsible for playcalling and doesn’t expect that to change.
#Browns OC Todd Monken on the idea of him calling the plays: It's really a non-issue. That hasn't even been discussed internally. I took the job knowing I wasn't going to call the plays. You do what the HC asks you to do
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 7, 2019
It’s unclear exactly which responsibilities Monken has been given, because he does not seem to have much involvement in Cleveland’s scheme. As Evan Silva of Establish the Run notes, Monken has historically designed offenses that feature a lot of throws downfield, and the Browns have not done a whole lot of that.
Monken appears to have little or no say in the #Browns offense:
* Obv not calling plays & that doesn’t appear to be on the table.
* His passing schemes historically have been decidedly vertical.
* Baker Mayfield is 18th in % of 20+ yard attempts.https://t.co/1wHWRrZoHD
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) November 7, 2019
Kitchens faced questions about whether or not he would give up playcalling duties following a rough game early on this season. He quickly slammed the door on that possibility, and things have not improved since.
Despite their numerous weapons, the Browns rank 25th in the NFL with just 19.0 points scored per game. Not allowing someone else on his staff to call some plays could ultimately cost Kitchens his job, but that is apparently a risk he is willing to take.
