As soon as the NFL schedule comes out, fans and analysts alike go over it closely in trying to determine how many games their team will win during the season. The Cleveland Browns were handed a unique schedule for 2026, and it has observers wondering how it will all play out.
Under new head coach Todd Monken, the Browns open the campaign with two straight road games, followed by two home games on a short week. They also have other stretches of three straight road games and four consecutive home games (with a bye among them).
Analyst Emory Hunt said he sees this working out just fine for Cleveland, and he is turning heads with a bold Browns prediction of 10 wins this season.
“I think [the Browns] can win 10 games. I love the way the schedule sets up for the Browns because of what they did in the offseason. They totally revamped their offensive line. This was a team that could run the football last year, and you talk about the receiving corps with Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Jerry Jeudy, and they’ve still got Harold Fannin. Defensively, you still have Myles Garrett, a very good defensive front. I like the way the Browns are coming in. I feel like they can take advantage of the early part of their schedule, seeing who they play in the first four games,” Hunt said.
"I think [the Browns] can win 10 games."@FBallGameplan thinks the Cleveland Browns have potential to break out during the 2026 season. 👀 pic.twitter.com/oI5BlYR9Fy
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) May 15, 2026
After an offseason focused on improving the offense, the Browns have completely rebuilt their offensive line with the additions of veterans Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson, and Elgton Jenkins, and first-round draft pick Spencer Fano from the 2026 NFL Draft. They also upgraded their wide receivers by taking Concepcion in the first round and Boston in the second round, to go along with second-year tight end Fannin.
So many changes could make the learning curve difficult for the Browns’ offense to open on the road, at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13 and then against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 20. Cleveland is also still a long way from knowing who its quarterback will be for those games, as Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will compete for the starting job throughout the preseason.
As Hunt stated, the Browns’ defense should remain one of the league’s best and will keep the team competitive until the offense catches up. That will be helpful in the first two home games of the Monken era, against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 27, and then on Thursday Night Football against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 1 in their only prime time game of the season.
Those early games will set the tone for the campaign, and if the Browns can successfully navigate them, they should be set up for success as the offense finds its bearings and with so many home games later in the schedule.
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