Jim Schwartz added a very important element to the Cleveland Browns over the last few years, and now he is gone. On Friday, the team announced that Schwartz was officially leaving the team as defensive coordinator, creating a massive hole in the team’s coaching staff.
The Browns plan to move on quickly from Schwartz, and new head coach Todd Monken has praised Cleveland’s defensive work, saying he hopes to continue it next season.
But writing on social media, Lance Reisland questioned if that’s possible. He said that so much of Schwartz’s impact wasn’t in the off-field planning, but instead in high-pressure moments that required “feel” and “timing.”
It’ll be hard for Monken to replicate that easily.
“I know Monken said he’ll keep the same scheme and system Schwartz has run the last three years, and that makes sense on paper. But there’s something that doesn’t show up in charts or spreadsheets. Decisions made on feel in situational football. Red zone. Third and long. Second and short. Goal line. Backed up coming out of your own end zone. That’s feel. That’s timing. That’s knowing when to press and when to live for the next snap. You can keep the structure, but that situational awareness is where Schwartz could be missed,” Reisland posted on X.
I know Monken said he’ll keep the same scheme and system Schwartz has run the last three years, and that makes sense on paper. But there’s something that doesn’t show up in charts or spreadsheets. Decisions made on feel in situational football. Red zone. Third and long. Second…
— Lance Reisland (Coach Riz) (@LanceReisland) February 6, 2026
Essentially, Schwartz was the sort of defensive coordinator who could come up with game plans on the fly, using his experience and knowledge to know exactly what to do in the moments that counted most. Reisland fears that Monken could attempt to copy Schwartz’s plans all he wants, but it won’t matter when everything is on the line.
Of course, Monken has never been a head coach before, so he may prove Reisland and other doubters wrong.
Right now, the Browns have a choice to make: do they hire from within their organization, or do they find someone outside? They surely do not want to mess up the good things they have going with their defense, and there is a chance that the loss of Schwartz could do that.
Ideally, the team can locate a replacement who can seamlessly carry Schwartz’s torch forward, but that may be easier said than done when you consider how he handled the game in the heat of the moment.
NEXT:
Shedeur Sanders Explains How He Really Feels About NFL Media