Expectations for the 2026 Cleveland Browns may be pretty low, but for a trio of figures inside the organization, the pressure couldn't be higher. 

So, which three members of the franchise are facing the most pressure this season: 

Nobody on the Browns' roster is under more pressure than Watson. That might extend to everybody in the entire league as well, because simply put, Watson's future as an NFL quarterback is very much a mystery beyond 2026. 

He's entering the final year of his lucrative contract with Cleveland after missing all of last season recovering from the torn Achilles that also cut his 2024 season short. Injuries and bad quarterback play have defined his tenure with the Browns so far, and if that doesn't change, he could absolutely be playing his final season in the NFL, or at least as a starting quarterback. 

He has to win the QB1 job first, though, and given how his competition with Shedeur Sanders went this spring, the two signal callers are neck-and-neck. It's pretty damning that he couldn't separate himself from a fifth-round pick in his second year at a time of year when there are no pads on and things aren't moving full speed. 

The pressure is truly on for Watson, above all, because, frankly, his career is on the line. 

The Browns finally embraced where they are as a team. They're in a rebuilding phase and trading Myles Garrett was the ultimate admission of that. While that should buy Monken some time with the organization, there's still plenty of pressure that comes with being a first-time head coach. 

There shouldn't be some arbitrary number of wins Monken must reach to keep his job, but year one has to come with some noticeable growth by a young roster and the early signs of a culture being built.

Those things seem like they'll come pretty easily for Monken. There's plenty of evidence he's got the game-planning and play-calling part of the job mastered. But it's everything else that comes with the job that he needs to prove he can handle. 

Plenty of pundits believe Monken was the worst hire of a coaching carousel that saw 10 coaches hired. He's under plenty of pressure to prove them wrong as soon as possible.

Fair or unfair, Verse is going to be compared to Myles Garrett for the foreseeable future. That's just the nature of the business when you're the returning player in a trade that sent one of the best players in franchise history out of town. 

He shouldn't be asked to fill Garrett's shoes, but when has anyone been universally reasonable about their favorite sports teams? There will be plenty of people who measure each of their stats and weekly performances against each other. 

It doesn't matter much that he's a great player in his own right, with a very high ceiling that he'll continue to push towards. He's replacing a generational talent, and that's going to come with some plenty of pressure. Thus, he has to make the list. 

Browns Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Browns. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.