BEREA — The three new Cleveland Browns coordinators had their moments behind the microphone for the first time since they were hired.
Offensive coordinator Travis Switzer, defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg and special teams coordinator Byron Storer each had around 25 minutes of answering questions. Their hirings were officially announced by the team on Feb. 20.
Switzer comes to the Browns along with new head coach Todd Monken after having been the Baltimore Ravens’ run game coordinator. Rutenberg served as defensive pass game coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2025, while Storer was the Green Bay Packers’ assistant special teams coordinator.
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Here are some of the bigger points each of the three coordinators made during his time at the mic:
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about relationship with coach Todd Monken
“Coach Monk and I were great from Day 1. And our relationship has certainly built from that. Get a little more comfortable with each other. I think how he thinks. And the more we can kind of do that, the better the operation’s going to be. As far as like pushback and all that, that’s not really how he operates. He’s a collaborative guy. He wants to listen. And then we decide together. And he believes that with him and I, the whole staff. I mean, that’s his philosophy and it’s been like that since I met him.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about studying Browns QB group
“Yeah, a little bit. Obviously that’s something we started when we first got here. And I’m excited about the guys we have here. I mean Monk said this in his opening press conference, you don’t take a job if you’re not excited about quarterbacks that are in the building. And it’s more than one. We’re excited about Dillon. We’re excited about Deshaun. Anytime you have a guy who has had the success that he’s had, he’s got to be part of the equation as far as when we talk about competing for that job. And then Shedeur, what he was able to show last year. He’s still young. He has a lot of growth that he can still achieve, especially Year One to Year Two, he only started what, six, seven games last year. So yeah, I think there’s a lot to be excited about in that room.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about personnel Browns have on offense
“I mean, there’s pieces here that we are excited about. I mean, [tight end Harold] Fannin [Jr.], it starts with Fannin, [Jerry] Jeudy, when he was able to show last year, to [wide receiver Isaiah] Bond and what he’s shown in his past, and [quarterback] Dillon [Gabriel], and what he was able to show last year as well. The offensive line obviously is something that we’re going to be looking to add to, in addition to develop the guys that we have here. [Center Luke] Wypler, possibly [guard] Joel [Bitonio]. … But, yeah, there’s a lot of pieces here to be excited about. It kind of goes on with what I said about the quarterback. You don’t take a job unless you’re excited about this.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about quarterback traits he prefers
“I mean, he’s got to be an elite leader in decision making. I mean, that’s where it kind of starts. Somebody said this, I remember hearing it years ago, it might have been [Hall of Famer Dan] Marino or somebody. As a quarterback, you got to be able to throw four picks in the first quarter and step into the huddle in the second half, look your guys in the eye and they still believe. So that’s one of those things that I think you got to have. And I don’t know if you can coach that. I don’t know. I think it certainly helps. You can develop that through preparation and then having success and now you have confidence in your own process and all those things and that does start to develop.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about what a Todd Monken offense looks like
“I mean, that can be a very broad thing. I mean, there’s certain non-negotiables, if you will, which when you start to look at it, there’s not a ton of them. ‘Hey, we’re going to take care of the football, score touchdowns in the red zone. We don’t have guys to be tough, physical, play fast.’ And then the methods and how that comes together is very wide. And of course it’s going to be built around who you have. That’s where it starts. And that’s where I think Coach Monk has succeeded in multiple spots that he’s had. I mean, there’s been people who said, ‘What system does he come from?’ And I think that’s why, because he’s able to mold to who he has.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about role University of Akron playing career played in his career
“I mean, when you’re at that age in life, I think there’s a lot of growth that happens no matter where you are. And for me, it was at Akron and I love my content. I was able to grow into a man there, obviously playing football, that teaches you a lot of lessons. So, yeah, I mean, I couldn’t be more complimentary in my time at Akron, and it’s certainly helpful to be a super coach.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about being comfortable with current QB room
“I mean, certainly. I mean, those things, they tend to work themselves out as far as who that’s going to be. That’s why, like I said, we have a competition, and the decision, when that’ll be, we don’t know. But those things, they have a way. Players win spots, and they have a way of kind of working themselves out. But, yeah, we’re excited that’s here in the building.”
What Browns OC Travis Switzer said about running back Quinshon Judkins
“Yeah, so very excited about Judkins. Haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet. I’m excited about that. But he was somebody that well before I came here, being in the AFC North for nine years, I mean, we get a lot of crossover tape where the Browns show up, and as soon as he started kind of bursting onto the scene, I was like, ‘Man, who’s this guy?’ And, yeah, very excited about him. Sampson as well. I think we have a lot of really good talent in the running back room.”
What Browns special teams coordinator Byron Storer said about Rich Bisaccia’s influence
“Rich, it starts and ends with Rich. I spent 10 years as a coach for Rich as his assistant, and I spent three years as a player for Rich. So everything I really know starts with Rich. And one thing about Rich is that he is a master at making connections with players. And he is a total, the best leader of men that I’ve ever been around. So first and foremost, he taught me how to be a leader and how to connect with players because it’s all about the players.”
What Browns special teams coordinator Byron Storer said about building blocks to work with
“The thing about it, I think the building blocks are here. The foundation of players is here. So, like I said, those players that I named off, I’m really excited about. And I think that really, for me, it’s about building a really strong foundation of techniques and fundamentals. We’re going to master the basics. We’re going to be fundamentally and technically sound, and then we’ll build from there. And then, so it goes by phase now. So we’ll start with coverage and we’ll drill that down and then we’ll go to help protection, drill that down, return phases, drill that down. So it’s just going to be a lot of drill work to start and mastering techniques and fundamentals and then going from there. But in terms of the players, I believe in a lot of … when I went through the interview process, I got fired up about the players that we have here, and then we’re going to obviously going to add more to go through free agency and draft. So for me, it’s about mastering the basics.”
What Browns special teams coordinator Byron Storer thinks about Browns return game
“Really, I think that the most important thing for me is putting players in positions to succeed and I think that whoever our returner is, I want to play to their strengths and also the strengths of our personnel that’s available to us. So depending on who we have available to us on game day, I’m going to play to our strengths in that way. So without getting the logistics of who’s going to be back there, but we have a guy that … the two guys that we have now back there, Malachi Corley and Dylan Sampson, and I feel pretty good about those guys. We’re going to get vertical and then we have Gage Larvadain, who’s our punt returner, or was last year. He’s got a full year of experience now, so I expect him to get better. And so there’s things that are here that we have to work with and if we decide if the competition presents itself and people get out, then that’s probably what’s best for the team.”
What Browns special teams coordinator Byron Storer said about replacing punter Corey Bojorquez
“Yeah. I mean, Corey, we’re still going through the process. Like I said, we’re looking at free agents, draft, doing self scouts. So we’re totally doing a complete evaluation of the roster and looking what’s out there and so we’re still going through that process. The thing that I’d say is that we’re exploring all options, but I do want to say though that for Corey, that I respect the four years that he’s been here and what he’s done here with Cleveland Browns and as I go through this building and I ask people about him, there’s nothing but good things that they’ve said about him.”
What Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg said about replacing Jim Schwartz
“Any new opportunity is about building relationships, right? And relationships come from the heart. So we’re going to build relationships. I’m going to learn about the players, learn about the coaches, share my story and learn their story. And whatever is important for the players, I want to learn about them, whether it’s their families, whether it’s football, any outside interests, I’m going to dive right in and build those relationships.”
What Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg said about Myles Garrett
“We have not spoken face to face. We’ve both been traveling a lot and I cannot wait to meet him and learn from him. Obviously amazing amount of respect for him as a player and all the great things I’ve heard about him. And how to continue what he’s already done and maybe help him elevate his game or just tweak his game a little bit. … I don’t think I could be more excited. Beyond fired up. I can’t wait to see all of his superpowers, learn about his superpowers and figure out what’s best for him to help him continue to achieve those superpowers.”
What Browns DC Mike Rutenberg said about Robert Saleh’s influence
“He’s one of those people that I mentioned who’s helped me along the way. It started in 2014 when he was the linebackers coach and I was the assistant DB coach at the time. And what I’ve learned from Robert, and I’m going to speak on football, he’s a great person and a great friend that goes without saying. He taught me how to prepare players. He taught me how to get players to play hard, to play fast, to play violent on Sunday. He taught me how to prepare players for what’s coming, how to help them anticipate what’s coming, to help them respond, not have to think or react. And I give him a ton of credit. I’m forever grateful to Robert for what he’s done for my career.”
What Browns DC Mike Rutenberg said about Dom Capers role on staff
“Well, everybody was involved in getting him here and I really appreciate the organization for allowing us to bring Coach Capers here. Our relationship goes back to 2018 and 19. We actually for a time being shared an office, which was the defensive staff room. And he gave me his manual for Kevin Greene. I mean, that is like gold to any coach. The manual for Kevin Greene? And Dom was obviously instrumental in coaching Kevin and all of those great defenses. But what hasn’t Dom seen? What scheme hasn’t he seen? What style hasn’t he seen? What technique? What evaluation process? So we’re all going to rely on Dom A to Z and Z to A. And what’s amazing about Dom is he does it literally from his heart. He just does it to help. And all the people he’s done this for in previous roles would echo that so cannot wait to keep working with Coach Capers.”
What Browns DC Mike Rutenberg said about Joe Gibbs’ influence on him
“Everything. Not a lot of sleep. Had really no idea what I was doing, but it was unbelievable. Vinny Cerrato gave me my first chance. It goes back to all these people who came before us, who helped us along the way., I’ll be forever grateful for. Vinny gave me my chance. First as an intern, then he promoted me to scouting assistant, it’s like the greatest promotion of my life at the time. And Coach Gibbs gets hired, and basically needs someone to do whatever he asks. And Vinny volunteered me and it was awesome. It was unbelievable. We could sit here for hours on what any person has learned from Joe Gibbs. But what I really learned is true work ethic. Everybody says work. Coach Gibbs was true work ethic. His answer was to keep working and keep fighting and keep working and keep fighting. And I saw that as we went from, I can’t remember our first year record, but into the second year into the playoff. And it was truly through work ethic and keep fighting and keep swinging and keep fighting.”
What Browns DC Mike Rutenberg said about play-calling on defense
“I’ve been really fortunate that at the previous two stops, my bosses have given me opportunities to call plays in numerous different experiences. Preseason games, call it periods, scrimmages, and obviously there’s no substitute for doing it, but that was a huge help. And then, not only that, they offered great advice, suggestion, criticism at times of how to improve that. And for me, any new experience I’ve had, I’ve just tried to be where my feet are. I’m not going to sit here and tell you every time somebody says something I wrote down that ‘this is what I’m going to do,’ ‘this is what I’m going to do.’ I just tried to be where my feet are and absorb as much as I possibly can. I learned a ton about play calling and Coach Ulbrich’s process of game planning over the last four or five years, and that’s been huge for me. Eventually as you learn and are around people who you really respect, it just becomes part of you. I’m excited for that journey.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns new coordinators speak: What Switzer, Rutenberg, Storer said
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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