The Browns have officially been given the easiest Strength of Schedule based on 2025 results.
Article on another website had this to say about that: I don't know the rules on credits from other websites, so if I should be giving the author and/or website credit, please advise and I can edit. Some websites don't want other sites credits.
" Why the Browns might have actually caught a break
If you're looking for one team that could surprise people in 2026, that could be the Cleveland Browns, who have the easiest strength of schedule in the NFL. Here's why that matters: The AFC team with the easiest schedule has finished with a winning record in EIGHT STRAIGHT seasons, including last year, when the AFC champion Patriots improved from 4-13 in 2024 to 14-3 in 2025.
Over the past three seasons, the AFC team with the easiest strength of schedule has improved their record by an average of 7.7 wins and all three of those teams had a new head coach going into the season.
2023: Texans. After going 3-13-1 in 2022, the Texans had the easiest strength of schedule of any AFC team in 2023 and they ended up being a surprise playoff team at 10-7 during DeMeco Ryans' first season as Houston's head coach.
2024: Chargers. After going 5-12 in 2023, they had the AFC's easiest strength of schedule in 2024 and they took advantage of that by going 11-6 and making the playoffs in Jim Harbaugh's first season on the job.
2025: Patriots. After going 4-13 in 2024, the Patriots bounced back in a big way while playing against the AFC's easiest strength of schedule in 2025. In Mike Vrabel's first season on the job, the Patriots went 14-3 and ended up making a run all the way to the Super Bowl.
In 2026, the Browns will have a new head coach in Todd Monken and he'll be looking to replicate the success of those three coaches.
The Browns will also be playing both the AFC South and NFC South this year, which has been a huge advantage for teams. Last year, the Super Bowl champion Seahawks went a combined 7-1 against those two divisions, which is a big reason why Seattle ended up earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.
Last year, the 49ers were in the exact same spot as the Browns: They had the easiest strength of schedule in 2025 and they also got to play both South divisions. After going 6-11 in 2024, the 49ers used their scheduling advantage to go 12-5 in 2025.
Of course, no one is going to mistake the Browns for the 49ers, but getting to play both South divisions seems to help.
The last two times an entire division got matched up with both South divisions, that division produced at least three teams that finished with a winning record. "
That being said, in the down time we have until training camp, I thought it was a good conversation piece on opinions about SOS before a single game is played.
