Three NFL teams under pressure in 2023

Every NFL team wants to win, but how many of them need to win? To answer this question, Dan Hanzus of NFL.com created the NFL Urgency Meter and with all due respect to Mr. Hanzus, we couldn’t disagree more.

According to Hanzus, the Chicago Bears are under the most pressure to win in 2023. Seriously, how much pressure can a 3-14 team featuring a young quarterback and a second-year head coach really feel? Not as much as these three teams, that’s for sure:

Washington Commanders

The Commanders haven’t had a winning season since 2016. Even when they won the NFC East in 2020, their record was 7-9. After passing on quarterbacks like Will Levis and Hendon Hooker in April's draft, the squad will rely on Sam Howell, a fifth-round draft pick from 2022. 

Did we mention that new owners are about to take over? After holding D.C. hostage for over two decades, Dan Snyder has agreed to sell the team to Josh Harris. For those that don’t know Harris, he owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, but has no attachment to any player, coach or executive currently with the franchise. 

In other words, everyone associated with the Commanders will be playing for their jobs this year. How’s that for urgency?

Cleveland Browns

Not only have the Cleveland Browns never won a Super Bowl, they’ve never been to a Super Bowl. While they have played in five conference championships over the years, the most recent coming in 1989, but have lost every one.  

Maybe that’s why the Browns decided to ruin the NFL’s salary structure by signing QB Deshaun Watson. Any team that gives a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract to a man who had 26 civil lawsuits filed against him deserves to be scrutinized.