With the 2026 NFL Draft officially in the books, all eyes are now set on the upcoming NFL season for the Cleveland Browns.
Led by newly-hired head coach Todd Monken, the Browns were able to completely overhaul the offense ahead of the next season by selecting their starting left tackle Spencer Fano and adding two new wide receivers in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. The massive changes on offense should help the team in its quest to improve from the miserable 5-12 record from the 2025 season.
Luckily for Monken and company, the Browns may have a perfect opportunity to improve last season when looking at their future opponents for the 2026 season.
According to NFL analyst Warren Sharp, the Browns have the fourth-easiest strength of schedule for the 2026 NFL season, based on the team’s projected win totals from Vegas.
Examining the Browns’ 2026 NFL regular season schedule
While the 2026 NFL regular season schedule has yet to be released, fans already know which teams will be on Cleveland’s schedule for next season.
Like every other season, the Browns will face their divisional opponents twice, with each series being a home-and-home matchup. However, when looking at their opponents outside of the AFC North, the struggling organization will play both the AFC and NFC South throughout the course of the 2026 season.
This year, the Browns will host the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans from the AFC South, while also receiving the opportunity to play both the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, and the Las Vegas Raiders in Cleveland. The Browns’ contest against the Falcons will be the first time that the organization takes on their former head coach, Kevin Stefanski, who recently parted ways with the franchise this offseason.
In addition to their favorable schedule at home, the Browns must travel to Jacksonville and Tennessee to take on the Jaguars and the Titans to conclude their play against the AFC South. Other away games for Cleveland include matchups against the New Orleans Saints, both the New York Jets and Giants, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face the team’s former quarterback Baker Mayfield.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns in favorable position to improve during the 2026 NFL season
Reporting by Dylan Feltovich, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
