The Cleveland Browns are heading into Week 1 with a lot of moving parts, and the noise around a couple of rookies is only getting louder.
That buzz has followed KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston through training camp and the preseason, where both receivers have made big plays after Cleveland used two early picks on them in the 2026 NFL draft. The Browns are still waiting to see how it all translates when the games count, but the excitement around the offense is obvious.
Week 1 will offer the first real look at what that group can become. Cleveland opens on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Deshaun Watson is set to make his first regular-season start since 2024. That also gives Todd Monken his first chance to show what the offense can look like with the team’s new, young talent.
The Browns’ opening-week picture comes with plenty of change beyond the rookies. Cleveland made four roster moves before practice started for Week 1, including adding a wide receiver and a defensive end. General manager Andrew Berry had already worked out nine players during Monday’s practice before making more moves on Tuesday.
On the field, the Browns are also dealing with the usual early-season uncertainty in the depth chart. A midweek look at that kind of roster churn is enough to keep things interesting, and the team’s approach to leadership reflects that week-to-week mindset as well. Todd Monken is going with weekly captains instead of season-long ones, and Deshaun Watson is among the five captains for the opener against the Jaguars.
The Jaguars have their own changes to sort through, though Cleveland enters the matchup with more turnover overall. The Jacksonville roster has shifted this year too, which is nothing unusual in today’s NFL, but the Browns’ changes have been especially noticeable because they include a new coaching staff.
There are also a few other details worth watching as Cleveland gets ready for Sunday. Spencer Fano is preparing for his matchup with Josh Hines-Allen in Week 1, and he’s doing it the same way he did at Utah: by spending time in the film room and leaning on veterans on the offensive line.
Around the league, the quarterback and roster news keeps rolling as well. Baker Mayfield reached agreement on a three-year, $165 million extension with the Bucs, despite saying he would not negotiate after reporting to training camp. The Panthers are also leaning on running backs with injury histories as Dave Canales pushes for more emphasis on the ground game, while Joe Burrow has quieted any doubts about staying with the Bengals.
Back in Cleveland, the rookie storyline keeps coming back to the same place: the Browns drafted these receivers early because they want more explosiveness, and now they’re about to find out whether that promise shows up right away. The first answer comes in Jacksonville.
In Other News...
Browns Open With A Jaguars Twist Fans Will Be Watching Closely
The Browns will open the 2026 season against a Jaguars team that already has Cleveland's attention for reasons well beyond Week 1. Cleveland holds Jacksonville's first-round pick from the Travis Hunter trade, so every move the Jaguars make this summer carries a little extra weight for Browns fans, from the roster additions to the departures and the shape of a draft class that is expected to produce at least one immediate starter. It is the kind of early-season matchup that ties together two teams' futures in a way most openers do not.
Todd Monken's hiring as Browns head coach also adds another layer to the start of the season, especially after Cleveland interviewed Grant Udinski before making its choice. Jacksonville, meanwhile, has brought in names such as defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and quarterback Quinn Ewers as it reshapes the roster for 2026. For Browns fans, the Week 1 trip is about more than just the scoreboard, because the Jaguars' progress will be part of the long conversation Cleveland is going to be having all season. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Already Sound Fed Up With Deshaun Watson
Todd Monkens first season has already put him in the middle of one of the Browns most delicate storylines, with Deshaun Watson taking the Week 1 starting job over Shedeur Sanders. The choice was always going to draw scrutiny, but it has felt especially loud in Cleveland after Watson was booed during a preseason appearance, a clear sign that plenty of fans are still unconvinced by the direction of the offense.
Monken addressed the subject in a radio interview, calling Watsons remarks about the fan reaction a minor issue and saying the two had already talked it through. For a coach trying to settle a quarterback situation and establish credibility in his first year on the job, even small flare-ups like this can matter, especially when the crowd has already made its feelings known. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Settle Key Week 1 Battles But One Decision Stands Out
The Browns first unofficial depth chart for Week 1 of the 2026 season cleared up a few of the biggest camp questions, and it did so in fairly straightforward fashion. Deshaun Watson is listed as the starting quarterback, with Shedeur Sanders slotted in as the primary backup and rookie Taylen Green third on the chart. Up front, Cleveland kept the offensive line where it had been projected, with Teven Jenkins at right guard and Austin Barber backing up the right tackle spot.
One of the more notable details came on special teams, where second-year receiver Isaiah Bond is the lone punt returner. First-round rookie KC Concepcion, meanwhile, does not appear on the special teams depth chart, a small but meaningful clue about how the Browns are dividing early-season responsibilities as the roster takes shape. [Read more 🡒]