As players returned to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for the first day of the voluntary offseason workout program, head coach Todd Monken prepared to speak to his new team for the first time.

He spent time crafting a message, working to make sure his players felt the sentiment of his message. He wanted them to know their goals as a team, and their role as coaches in order to help the players achieve their dreams. So, when it came time to talk to his team, Monken shared a simple message to his players as they kicked off the program.

"We're in the development business and the winning business, point blank period," Monken said.

The Browns began Phase One of the voluntary offseason program on April 7, which consists of three phases. Phase One is the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only. The Browns will also hold an extra voluntary veteran minicamp April 21-23 following the first phase of the program.

Phase Two is a three-week period where on-field workouts are allowed but limited to individual or group instruction and drills. It can also include "perfect play drills," and drills and plays where offensive players line up across from offensive players, and defensive players line up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace. No live contact or team offense vs. defense drills are permitted. This stage also includes rookie minicamp, which the Browns will hold May 8-10 following the 2026 NFL Draft.

Phase Three is the next four weeks of the program where teams are allowed to conduct 10 days of organized team practice activity, or "OTAs." No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are permitted. The Browns' OTA offseason workout dates are May 19-21, May 26-28 and June 2-5. This phase will end with a mandatory minicamp that runs from June 9-11.

As Monken and the coaching staff prepared for players to return, he centered his approach to the program around the development of his players and the ultimate goal of winning. He learned from his experience working with John Harbaugh about the importance of work during the offseason program, and how to use all the permitted time and resources to foster the development of their players and their system.

When he stood in front of his team, Monken said he was fired up about the players that were in attendance.

"There's nothing like being around the players," Monken said. "Everything we do is the development of players. That's how we get to where we're at in the coaching profession. So, it's awesome being around them. But it is our job to put together an offseason program that makes them want to be here from a development standpoint, from a connection standpoint, from a schematic standpoint. For them to want to be here, that's our job as an organization, as a coaching staff – that they get something here that they couldn't get anywhere else."

In the early stages of the offseason program, the work is focused on the individual technique of players and fundamentals. Then as they move into the later phases, they can dive into the scheme and playbook when the coaches can be on the field with the players. Monken also emphasized that the players have a responsibility to memorize and learn the playbook before they can take the field with the coaches. Once they reach that stage, Monken wants the coaches to coach how to execute the playbook.

While Monken was pleased with the overall turnout for the voluntary program, one of the position groups Monken highlighted early was the quarterback room that consists of Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. Just a couple of days into the program, and with what they are allowed to cover during the early stages of the program, Monken said he was "fired up" about the quarterback room.

"Each day they're going to gain more and more information of what we do and what we expect," Monken said. "I thought all three guys were bright-eyed, wanting to learn. You couldn't ask for a better start in that QB room."

The first phase of the offseason program is the first chance for Monken and the new coaching staff to work with their players and get to know them – and important benefit of the additional two weeks to the program for a new head coach. Then as the weeks progress and the Browns move through the different phases of the offseason program and into training camp, Monken said the goal is to develop a depth chart across all positions.

"We're going to have to roll a first unit out there and there's some past history that plays in that and a little bit of guesswork on where they're at and what we've seen up until this point in the classroom," Monken said. "And maybe a little bit of what we've heard, I mean, that all goes into it, but eventually it'll all work itself out. Whatever the number of reps – I said it a week ago – it doesn't eliminate the competition. It just doesn't. I mean, players decide who plays. I don't decide who plays. The players decide that. It's not where they start, it's where they finish. It's where they end up."