Everywhere you look, members of the national media are using words like “easy” and “favorable” to describe the Cleveland Browns’ 2026 schedule. That’s hard to argue on paper, as the Browns’ opponents won a combined 42.9 percent of their games last season, with only three of them — the Steelers, Jaguars, and Texans — finishing above .500 and making the playoffs.
Those numbers don’t tell half the story, though. The NFL did the Browns no favors, sending them on the road often against tough opponents over the first half of the season. The schedule opens up nicely in Week 10 and beyond, but whether Cleveland can win enough games early to play meaningful ones late remains a serious question mark.
The Browns definitely have a chance to be more competitive this season, but not everyone was celebrating on schedule release day.
The Browns’ 2026 schedule quietly created some clear winners and losers
Winner: Baker Mayfield
Mayfield is 0-1 against the Browns since getting traded during the 2022 offseason, but he no doubt has Week 2 of the 2026 season circled in black ink. Cleveland will be traveling to Tampa Bay for the Buccaneers’ home opener, fresh off a Week 1 trip to Jacksonville.
Myles Garrett and company still present a challenge, but Mayfield will likely get the last laugh in a matchup that’s just a brutal spot for the Browns.
Loser: Todd Monken
Back-to-back September road games in the Florida heat would be brutal for any team, never mind the Browns, who have a first-year NFL head coach in Monken and a number of first- and second-year players poised for prominent roles.
The first month of the season should be Cleveland’s toughest, starting with the Jaguars, whose defense ranked third in total EPA per play last season. Fans should expect some tough sledding for Monken’s offense as new rookie receivers like KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston get their first taste of NFL action.
Winner: Shedeur Sanders (or Deshaun Watson)
As Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi wrote this past week, Cleveland’s rough first half of the season could lead to a longer leash for Sanders or Watson — whoever’s named the team’s Week 1 starter at quarterback.
Kevin Stefanski had a quick hook with Joe Flacco last year, but Monken likely won’t be coaching like his job is on the line this season. He can afford to take a more patient approach, and that should only add more intrigue to the Browns’ quarterback competition this spring and summer.
Loser: Kevin Stefanski
Speaking of Stefanski, we’ve known since January that his Atlanta Falcons would be traveling to Cleveland this year. We got the official date on Thursday — Week 14.
This was a major break for the Browns, as they could end up being short road favorites in mid-December against a Falcons team that plays its home games in a dome.
Browns currently favored in two games https://t.co/3srm75UmMx
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) May 15, 2026
Winner: Quinshon Judkins
Time will tell if Judkins can pick up where he left off following a strong rookie season that was cut short by a gruesome leg injury.
The Browns have several favorable matchups following their Week 11 bye, including games against the Bengals, Falcons, and Giants. All three of those teams struggled to stop the run in 2025, with the Falcons 27th in EPA per rush on defense, the Bengals 29th, and the Giants 32nd.
The best part about the Browns' schedule is that five of their final eight games will be played at home. Those cold Cleveland weather games should bode well for Judkins, especially against a slew of teams (including Cincinnati twice) who have had issues against the rush.
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