Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg is not walking into an easy situation in 2026.
Not only will this season be his first as a defensive coordinator, but Rutenberg is following Jim Schwartz, who is considered one of the league’s best at calling a defense, which was on display over the past three seasons in Cleveland.
That hasn’t seemed to bother Rutenberg much so far, as he has had his hands full during training camp:
- Installing the new defensive system.
- Seeing what new defensive end Jared Verse brings to the table.
- Watching his best linebacker, Carson Schwesinger, miss the past week of practice with an injury.
- Dealing with seemingly non-stop injuries at defensive tackle.
- Figuring out how best to work rookie safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren into an already talented secondary.
Rutenberg appears to be holding up well – going against an offense
led by the league’s worst quarterback room every day in practice probably helps – but he also comes across as a coach who won’t let his ego get in the way of calling a good game.
That was evident on Tuesday when Rutenberg pointed out that a defense is only as good as its players (quotes via a team-provided transcript):
“The key is players. Players make every scheme, whether you’re disguised or not, cover three, cover one, it doesn’t matter, everybody runs similar skills. It’s about getting guys to understand what we’re trying to do, which they’ve done at the highest level, and giving players opportunities to be successful in whatever coverage or scheme we’re in.
“I can’t give away the secret sauce, can I? But again, it comes down to players understanding their job and finding their inches within the scheme. That’s what great players do: they prepare hard, they study hard, they anticipate and react. When they know they can take their shot, they take it. Otherwise, they play fundamentally sound football.”
Rutenberg is also smart enough to admit he does not know everything and if a mistake is made, fix it and then get going again:
“I’m learning every day. It’s awesome. We’ve got a great mentor in Todd, an unbelievable defensive staff, and a great group of defensive players, and together we’re constantly learning. If a mistake happens – own it, fix it and keep it moving. If good stuff happens, celebrate it, embrace it and keep it moving.”
Fairly or not, Rutenberg will be compared to Schwartz this fall, especially if something goes wrong. But based on what the defense has shown so far, it looks as if the Browns will be in good hands when the defense is on the field.
