The NFL is releasing the schedule for the 2026 season at 7:30 p.m. ET on May 14. But hours before the announcement, leaks have been surfacing on social media. One of them points to the Jacksonville Jaguars facing off against the Cleveland Browns at home in the Week 1 opener.
Twitter user NerdingonNFL posted that the Jags will welcome Cleveland at EverBank Stadium to start the season. Keep in mind that it's just a rumor, but Nerdingon has a good record of sharing schedule leaks. In fact, he revealed that Jacksonville would face off against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans in back-to-back games in London before the league announced the games of the international series.
Circling back to the Browns rumor, it would give the Jaguars a massive opportunity to get off to a strong start to the season.
Why the Jaguars will want to face the Browns in the season opener
Again, it's just a rumor as of this writing, but the Jaguars would love to welcome the Browns in the opener. After the 2025 season, Cleveland kicked head coach Kevin Stefanski to the curb and poached Todd Monken from the Baltimore Ravens to replace him.
Now, Monken managed to get the most out of former league MVP Lamar Jackson and has helped Derrick Henry enjoy a career revival in Baltimore. Having said that, he won't have nearly enough talent at the Factory of Sadness.
The Browns have a massive question mark at QB even if Deshaun Watson is back
Granted, the cupboard isn't fully bare, and Monken will have a handful of enticing offensive pieces to work with, starting with sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Moreover, Cleveland drafted receiver KC Concepcion to pair with Jerry Jeudy. On the other hand, the Browns face a massive question at quarterback.
Shedeur Sanders showed as a rookie last year that he's got a long way to go before he's a capable starter behind center. Not surprisingly, Deshaun Watson has a leg up in the QB competition and is currently the No. 1 option on the depth chart.
The issue is that Watson has dealt with injuries the past few years. The last time he was a prominent quarterback was back in ** squints hard ** the distant year of 2020. That was more than five years ago, so even if the former Pro Bowl nod is back at full strength, there's no guarantee that he'll be nearly as effective as he was with the Houston Texans. For this reason, the Jags will welcome him with arms wide open.
The one thing the Browns have going for them is the fearsome Myles Garrett, who gives his team a chance to win week in and week out because of just how dominant he is in spite of all the attention opposing teams devote to him.
Garrett could give the Jaguars fit, but if the offensive line gives Trevor Lawrence enough protection up front, Jacksonville will have a chance to come out on top. The defense, for its part, will need to contain Watson or whoever starts behind center come Week 1.
Granted, there's no such thing as an easy NFL game, but the Jaguars will surely embrace the possibility of facing the Browns in Week 1. The truth is that there's no better way to start the season.
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