Jim

Schwartz

Schwartz, who resigned from the Browns defensive coordinator job in early February after Todd Monken was named head coach, is set to take the year off with all defensive coordinator chairs filled. Vic Fangio appears to be very “year to year” with the Eagles at this point and contemplated stepping down this offseason. Schwartz’s deal with the Browns has a club option for 2027 that may require compensation in return, but Breer believes he will be the “belle of the defensive coaches’ ball” in 2027.

According to NFL Network’s The Insiders, Schwartz submitted a letter of resignation to the Browns’ front office on Thursday and is now expected to sit out the 2026 season. The long-time defensive coordinator became frustrated with the organization when they passed on him for the head coaching role in favor of Todd Monken, but the team still opted to retain him as defensive coordinator rather than release him from his current deal. Schwartz’s only stint as a head coach came with the Lions from 2009 to 2013, where his team went 29-51 while finishing with a winning record once and one postseason berth. Since then, Schwartz has led several top defensive units. In his three years with the Browns they twice finished in the top five in yards allowed and were top-15 in points allowed in those same season. The Browns, and apparently the league, will be without one of the top defensive minds for at least this season. Schwartz also has a team option in his contract for the 2027 season, meaning the Browns could opt to retain him for next year, which could make for another issue for Schwartz and the team to navigate.

New head coach Todd Monken is expected to meet with the media on Tuesday, and Garafolo said he doesn’t expect a firm answer on where things stand between the two sides. Schwartz has reportedly already cleaned out his office at the Browns’ facility after being passed over for the head coaching job, but remains under contract with the team. Things will get interesting if the Browns don’t let Brown out of his contract but he still opts to not return to the team. For now, all we can do is wait and see what Monken says about the situation.

Fangio, 67, could consider retirement, but Garafolo does add that the discussions between Fangio and the Eagles have “been leaning to the positive recently but anything good change.” The Eagles reportedly considered Browns DC Jim Schwartz and new Packers DC Jonathan Gannon to replace Fangio should he opt not to return, but Schwartz would be the only option available of the two, and that’s assuming the Browns let him after his contract after the decision to pass on him for their head-coaching vacancy. This will be a situation to monitor until there’s a permanent solution, but Fangio’s defense was fifth in points allowed last season and ranked 13th in total yards allowed.

Former Ravens OC Todd Monken got the Browns head coaching job on Wednesday after an extensive search, and after it appeared the Browns were set to promote Schwartz to the top job. Rapoport said the Browns “would like to retain Schwartz, who is under contract. The respected DC may have other plans. He’s coveted.” It looks like Schwartz will coach elsewhere in 2026 after being passed over, though there’s a chance he stays with Cleveland under Monken. Schwartz’s Browns offense in 2025 allowed the league’s fourth lowest success rate and third lowest EPA per play.

Schwartz could land the Browns’ head coach gig by default with so many candidates pulling out of the search for the league’s most unappealing job. During five seasons as Lions head coach, Schwartz was a disaster, posting a 29-51 record. He was unable to make the Lions a competitive team for much of that time; even the team’s defense was subpar. Schwartz, 59, would likely be a placeholder coach until the Browns can convince a young, up-and-coming coach to take a job no one really wants. Nate Scheelhaase and Todd Monken are reportedly also in the mix to coach Cleveland.

It sounds like he is no longer a candidate for their head-coaching vacancy. The Browns are said to be targeting a young candidate for the role, though Schultz notes that the team is not sure how Schartz would “react” to such a hire. The Browns have a win-now defense. It is possible that Schwartz is not interested in waiting around to see if an unproven candidate pans out.

Schwartz isn’t the only candidate who will get a second interview to fill the Browns’ head-coaching vacancy, per Cabot, but the longtime defensive coordinator has already secured one. Schwartz has spent the last three seasons as the Browns’ defensive coordinator and served as the Lions’ head coach from 2009 until 2013. Promoting Schwartz to head coach would make for an easy transition for a defense that finished fourth in yards allowed last season and that has been among the league’s best in two of Schwartz’s three seasons at the helm.

Per Schrager, Bullen has a chance to remove the “interim” part of his title, which makes sense. He significantly improved the Giants’ defensive performance after receiving the in-season promotion in Week 13, improving their quarterback pressure rate from 32.9 to 39.9 percent and lowering their yards allowed per play average from 6.1 to 5.1. The remaining four candidates include former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, Ravens DC Zach Orr and Browns DC Jim Schwartz.

They were late to the game, but the Ravens are by our count now up to 12 head-coaching candidate interviews, trailing the Titans by four. Schwartz had an in-house interview with the Browns about a head-coaching elevation last week. He otherwise has not been contacted by an outside team. The former Lions head coach has been an excellent defensive coordinator over his last few stints in Philadelphia and Cleveland. This has shades of the return of Wade Phillips.