Every season, each team has a best-case scenario and a worst-case scenario.
This isn’t as simple as winning the Super Bowl or going 0-17, it’s about either maximizing the talent of a roster, or allowing every obstacle to completely crumble the team. Typically, teams fall somewhere in the middle, but both ends of the spectrum exist.
Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox recently laid out what the worst-case scenarios looks like for all 32 teams, and Knox had an interesting one for the Cleveland Browns.
The writer said Cleveland not buying into new head coach Todd Monken would lead to another disaster for the franchise.
Browns’ biggest 2026 risk has nothing to do with talent
Knox detailed how defensive stars like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward endorsed former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to be the team’s next head coach. Not only did he not get the job, he resigned as Cleveland’s DC. Combine that reality with Monken’s reported hard coaching style, and Knox says this “could lead to a very sticky situation for the Browns.”
While there’s always a risk with losing a team during a leadership change, the defensive players leading some type of rebellion against Monken is something Browns fans don’t have to worry about.
Simply put, Cleveland’s defensive stars aren’t those kind of players. Sure, they loved Jim Schwartz, but they are also consummate professionals who like to be held accountable.
More importantly, veterans like Garrett and Ward are tired of losing. For that reason alone, they are going to do everything they can to work alongside Monken to help the franchise find success. They know Cleveland can’t afford to be on different pages, so the team has no choice but to give Monken an opportunity to lead them his way.
That means the Browns’ worst-case scenario probably won’t come to life, but fans are hoping the team’s best-case scenario will.
Can Monken help the franchise identify a long-term answer at quarterback? Will the offensive-minded head coach fix the Browns’ offense? Is the defense going to stay elite with a new coordinator leading them?
If those three things happen in 2026, the Browns could end up having a magical season.