Todd Monken’s latest roster call says plenty about how he wants the Browns to play - and just as much about the risk he’s willing to take.
When Cleveland got down to 53 players last week, it meant hard cuts all over the roster. Training camp standouts were squeezed out, and players who looked like they had a real case to stick around were sent packing. With only so many spots available, Monken had to choose where the value was.
He chose fullback.
The Browns kept 34-year-old Michael Burton despite the obvious concern elsewhere on the roster, especially on defense. Cleveland’s depth on that side of the ball has been a known issue, yet the team used a precious roster spot on a player who missed all of 2025 with a hamstring injury and also missed time during camp.
Monken made it clear that wasn’t an accident.
“Yes. Whether it’s short yardage, whether it’s goal line, whether it’s coming out or four-minute.
I think you’re going to want a fullback; you’re going to want the ability to play downhill,” Monken said. “And Mike (Michael Burton) gives us that.
All you had to see when he came back a week ago, and the reps he took, you could see a guy who had played fullback and really understands the position. There are guys who play fullback, and there are guys who have played fullback and play it at an elite level, and Mike’s the latter.”
That preference comes with a real cost. Cleveland had other places it could have used that spot, and the defense is still the area that feels one injury away from becoming a problem.
The Browns also experimented with rookie tight end Carsen Ryan at fullback and H-back during training camp. It’s unclear whether that wrinkle will continue once the regular season starts. A true specialist gives the offense a cleaner answer there, but it also raises the question of whether Burton can stay healthy enough to justify the gamble.
Meanwhile, the roster moves on defense only sharpened the concern. The Browns cut cornerback Michael Coats Jr., one of the camp’s bright spots, even though cornerback depth was already thin. Other young players, including Logan Fano and Khordae Sydnor, wound up on the practice squad after strong finishes to the summer.
Monken is an offensive-minded coach, and this decision fits that profile. He’s clearly betting that Burton can bring the downhill, physical style he wants in the run game. If that works, the choice will look smart.
If the injury luck on defense turns again, though, Cleveland may have spent its flexibility in the wrong place.
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