All 53 Browns Players Will Practice Before Jaguars Game, But These 4 Matter Most

The Cleveland Browns play football this weekend and are starting off the 2026 NFL season against the Jaguars down in Jacksonville.

Kicking off the season on the road is never an easy task, but it’s a good test for this young Browns team to see what they’re made of especially in terms of game preparation.

It appears that Cleveland will have their full starting lineups available for week one barring any injury setbacks. With that being said, there are a few Browns players whose practice preparations will be key to securing an opening weekend win against a competitive conference foe.

Here are the four players that matter the most in practice heading into week one.

Quinshon Judkins

Having their second-year stud running back in Judkins on the field as much as possible will only increase their chances of walking out of Jacksonville with a win. Last season, Judkins didn’t suit up for their week one matchup, but Cleveland can feel confident in their run game this time around.

With the uncertainty as to how Cleveland’s passing game will ultimately play out due to their new offensive system and remodeled receiver room, leaning on the rushing attack should be a priority even against a stout Jaguars defense.

Judkins is a powerful runner with speed to break through gaps in the offensive line, as well as having the ability to break tackles to fight for extra yardage.

If Cleveland finds themselves in a goal line situation, their best option should be to hand the ball off to Judkins.

Deshaun Watson

Regardless of how fans feel about the decision to start Watson over Shedeur Sanders, that’s just how it’s going to be presumably the first couple of weeks of the season. Like him or not, Watson is quarterback No. 1 and will look to lead this offense to a win.

The upgrades made to their receiving core as well as the assumed progress made by second year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. should help ease the tension regarding their passing game. Their success will solely depend on how ready Watson is.

Throwing the ball down field is one thing, but extending plays as needed was always a part of Watson’s game in the past. The most important thing Watson can’t do is to hold on to the ball too long and allow for Jacksonville’s defense to push their offense back due to sacks or holding penalties.

Maliek Collins

Collins dealt with an offseason injury for a good chunk of their summer training camp, but once he returned to the field, he showcased his quickness in drills that will need to be displayed on Sunday.

He also led the NFL in sacks by defensive tackles last season, and pairing him alongside second year nose tackle Mason Graham should allow for him to sneak some pressure in from time to time. Having Jared Verse on the defensive line should allow Collins to sneak in more pressure.

Cleveland already has a solid defense as is, but with a veteran like Collins on the field, it automatically makes the job of the opposing offense much harder. Collins should be revving himself up for a big role on Sunday during their late week preparations, and his availability is going to be key moving forward.

Carson Schwesinger

It’s always nice having the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year on the field, especially going into year two in which his expectations will be sky high. The only thing to really watch for is how new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg plans to use him.

Schwesinger will most likely see the same usage as last season, but it isn’t a guarantee it’ll be a mirror image that it was. Either way, he’s one of three main building blocks on defense, so he’ll be expected to be all over the field making plays in both the run and pass game.

Getting him ready after he missed some time during the offseason is the most important thing heading into week one. If the Browns want to contain Jacksonville’s high powered offense, Schwesinger needs to be everywhere to limit the Jaguars and force them into taking risks.

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