Browns preseason schedule released, will face an old friend in finale

It doesn't generate as much excitement as the regular season schedule release but the NFL sent out their preseason schedule on Friday. The Cleveland Browns now know where they will be throughout August with games on Saturday Aug, 10, 17, and 24.

They open things up with a home game against Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. That's followed by a Week 2 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings who are now led by rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Ahead of that game, they will have joint practices with the Vikings — a team they know well.

Minnesota was home for Kevin Stefanski from 2006 through 2019. He started as an "assistant to the head coach" and worked his way to offensive coordinator before taking the head coaching job in Cleveland. They also have ties to the Vikings' general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was in Cleveland as the vice president of football operations in 2020 and 2021.

Their finale will also feature someone they know well as the Browns travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. It's likely they face P.J. Walker in that game, who spent 2023 with the Browns. Walker signed with Seattle earlier this week.

Cleveland signed Walker to the practice squad when Deshaun Watson was injured in Week 3. Walker started two games for the Browns, going 1-1. He helped them defeat the San Francisco 49ers and then threw a costly interception in their loss to the Seahawks — his new team.

While all eyes will be on the preseason, coaches and players have found the joint practices to be much more beneficial as they prepare for the regular season. That's led to some watered-down preseason action as of late.

Even so, it means we're one step closer to the 2024 season kicking off. For Cleveland, they start off at home against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Sep. 8 at 4:25 p.m.

More Browns coverage