If this Browns coaching search feels like a game of NFL musical chairs, that is because it is.

The latest twist came Friday when the Baltimore Ravens interviewed former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski for their own vacancy. One day later, Cleveland responded by scheduling an interview with Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Yes, the NFL is that petty and that circular.

Monken is one of the more intriguing names to enter the Browns process, mostly because he already knows where the coffee is in Berea. He ran Cleveland’s offense in 2019, a season best remembered for its chaos, its talent, and a playbook that never quite survived the turbulence. Since then, Monken’s reputation has only improved.

After three dominant seasons calling plays at Georgia, Monken returned to the NFL with Baltimore and helped oversee one of the league’s most efficient and adaptable offenses. His system blends power, spacing, and quarterback friendly reads, something Browns fans have been begging for since the last time the offense felt normal.

Monken’s resume also includes stops as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator and a head coaching stint at Southern Miss from 2013 to 2015. That matters because Cleveland is not just hiring a play caller, it’s hiring someone who can run a building, manage egos, and survive Sundays in the AFC North.

He joins a growing list of candidates who have already passed through the door. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz interviewed Thursday. Friday featured Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde.

This is not a one lane search. It is a full highway.

Do not get attached to any single name yet. The front office is clearly casting a wide net across offense, defense, experience, and familiarity and that usually means it is still deciding what kind of team they want to be.

Monken makes sense if Cleveland wants offensive clarity and quarterback development. Schwartz makes sense if they want defensive stability. Rees represents youth and upside. Pitcher and Durde bring schematic freshness.

The Stefanski irony only adds to the theater. One team interviews the old coach. The other interviews his former coordinator. Welcome to January in the NFL, where everyone knows everyone, and nobody ever really leaves.

The Browns have options but the key now is choosing direction instead of just choosing comfort.