Former John Carroll DB and coach Jonathan Cooley is among the candidates to replace Jim Schwartz as Browns defensive coordinator.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
The hunt for Jim Schwartz’s successor as Browns defensive coordinator is taking some unexpected twists.
When Todd Monken was introduced as the new Browns coach last week, he said, “My anticipation is we’re not going to change the [defensive] system. Very difficult to go against – not planning on changing the system. We’re built for the system that they’re in currently.”
Schwartz’s wide nine, attack-the-quarterback system relies on press-man coverage from the cornerbacks and a defensive line roster eight- or nine-deep with penetrating, pass-rushing tackles being a must.
Monken’s reported list of candidates numbers seven, but only three of them have experience in Schwartz’s system. These are in-house candidates Jason Tarver and Ephraim Banda, and Cory Undlin of the Houston Texans.
The four others on Monken’s list come from other defensive systems, which could lead to a system change if Monken hires from that group.
Here’s a snapshot of the reported candidates to replace Schwartz.
Jason Tarver, 52, Browns linebackers coach
Tarver is one of two assistant coaches from Kevin Stefanski’s original staff in 2020 still under contract with the Browns. The other is cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch.
Tarver was retained by Schwartz when Schwartz succeeded Joe Woods as defensive coordinator in 2023. His prized pupils include Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, whose career is on hold after a neck injury in 2024, and Carson Schwesinger, the 2025 NFL defensive rookie of the year.
Tarver has spent 13 of his 22 NFL seasons with the 49ers. He has coordinator experience with Stanford (2011), the Raiders under head coach Dennis Allen (2012-14), and Vanderbilt (2018-19).
Ephraim Banda, 44, Browns safeties coach
Banda joined the Browns when Schwartz was hired in 2023 after 11 years in the college ranks.
He was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Utah State (2021-22) and was at the University of Miami for five years prior to that, where he eventually served as co-coordinator.
Banda interviewed this hiring cycle for defensive coordinator positions with the Cowboys and Jets.
Cory Undlin, 54, Houston Texans pass game coordinator
Undlin has multiple connections to this job, which may give him an edge over all the candidates.
He spent four years on Romeo Crennel’s staff with the Browns (2004-08), working his way up from quality control to defensive backs coach. He moved on to the Jacksonville Jaguars (2009-11), sharing two years on that Jack Del Rio staff with Monken, who was receivers coach.
Also, Undlin was defensive backs coach with the Philadelphia Eagles (2015-19) when Schwartz was coordinator there, culminating in a Super Bowl title. And for the past three years, he was passing game coordinator under Schwartz-protégé Matt Burke with the Texans. So he has the most experience of all the candidates in the Schwartz defensive system.
Undlin was Detroit Lions defensive coordinator under Matt Patricia in 2020. That experience didn’t go well. The Lions were last in points and total yards allowed.
Jonathan Cooley, 35, Carolina Panthers pass game coordinator
Cooley played four years at John Carroll University as a defensive back and returned to his alma mater (2013-14) to coach defensive secondary. He also coached the position at Kent State (2018) and Akron (2019).
Cooley broke into the NFL via the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 and stayed with the Rams through 2022.
Cooley jumped to the Panthers in 2023 to rejoin coordinator Ejiro Evero, who previously worked with him with the Rams.
Aubrey Pleasant, 38, Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/pass game coordinator
A safety at Wisconsin and two-year teammate of Joe Thomas, Pleasant broke into the NFL as a Browns offensive coaching intern in 2013 under Rob Chudzinski.
He moved to his natural defensive side with the Washington Redskins (2014-16) and then joined Sean McVay’s first staff with the Rams. Pleasant joined the Detroit Lions in 2021 as defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator under Dan Campbell, and was fired midway through the 2022 season. He was immediately hired by Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur as an offensive consultant.
McVay rehired Pleasant in 2023. McVay has given Pleasant head coach responsibilities in preseason games in recent years.
Mike Rutenberg, 44, Atlanta Falcons pass game coordinator
Rutenberg was retained as part of coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s staff when Stefanski was named Falcons head coach.
Prior to that, he followed Robert Saleh from his first stint with the San Francisco 49ers to the New York Jets. When Saleh was hired as Tennessee Titans head coach, Rutenberg interviewed for defensive coordinator, but was passed over for Gus Bradley.
Rutenberg’s first NFL jobs were under Bradley with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2013-19).
Charlie Bullen, 41, New York Giants interim defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach
Monken poached a few of John Harbaugh’s former assistant coaches with the Baltimore Ravens, and now he is looking at Bullen, who was one of three Giants coaches retained when Harbaugh became their head coach.
Bullen’s stock soared after he took over as Giants defensive coordinator after interim head coach Mike Kafka fired Shane Bowen. In Bullen’s four games, the Giants decreased their scoring defense from 25.8 points per game to 18.0.
Bullen coached defensive line and linebackers with the Miami Dolphins (2012-18) under coaches Joe Philbin and Adam Gase, and linebackers with the Arizona Cardinals (2019-22) under Kliff Kingsbury.