Fans of the Cleveland Browns were told all week that their 2026 schedule would rank among the most favorable in the NFL, both in terms of opponents and travel.
Five of their 17 games have now been leaked, including Weeks 1 and 2. While still unconfirmed, the start of the Todd Monken tenure already has potential disaster written all over it.Â
The Browns will reportedly open their season with two of the toughest road games on their slate — Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. After opening against a Jaguars team that went 7-1 in true home games during the 2025 regular season, Cleveland will head back to Florida in Week 2 to renew their rivalry with former No. 1 overall draft pick Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers.Â
There will be much more favorable stretches on Cleveland’s schedule, which will officially be announced on Thursday night. The Browns avoided the NFL’s nine-game international showcase this year, and they won’t face any top-tier quarterbacks outside of Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence, and Mayfield.
But back-to-back road games in the Florida heat vs. the Jaguars and Bucs qualifies as a gauntlet for Monken, who will be leading a young and overhauled offense in his first year on the job.
Baker Mayfield may get the perfect chance to embarrass the Browns
It may seem like ages ago, but we’re not yet at the four-year anniversary of Cleveland trading for Deshaun Watson and shipping Mayfield to Carolina. Mayfield has only played the Browns one time since — Week 1 of the 2022 season when the Browns and backup Jacoby Brissett were able to edge past the Panthers, 26-24.
Mayfield’s breakup with the Browns was messy. According to a report by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Mayfield was upset when he learned that the Browns, then coached by Kevin Stefanski, wanted “an adult at that position.” Mayfield requested a trade, which Cleveland initially denied until winning the Watson sweepstakes, per ESPN.
That the “adult” they chose to lead the franchise was immediately suspended for the first 11 games of his Browns career for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy is a parody of itself. Over 20 women filed civil lawsuits against Watson alleging he committed sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. He’s only made 19 starts for the Browns due to league punishment and injuries.Â
Mayfield has made his feelings about the Browns — and Stefanski in particular — crystal clear. He would likely revel in the opportunity to stick it to the franchise that so spectacularly failed in its attempt to replace him.Â
Drawing a rebuilding Browns team in Week 2, at home, with Watson potentially making his second NFL start since midway through the 2024 season? The table could not be set more perfectly for Mayfield to exorcise those demons — and Browns fans may have little choice but to just sit back and take it.
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