The approach of the 2017 NFL Draft means schedule release dates are fast approaching. The regular season schedule will likely be released the week before the draft, and now we know when the preseason schedule will be released. Chicago Bears beat writer Brad Biggs is reporting the preseason schedule will be released this Monday at 1 p.m. PT.
Fooch’s update: The NFL announced the release time is 2 p.m. PT
NFL will release preseason schedule at 4 pm Monday. Expect a date with #Browns. The teams have played every summer since 2004.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) April 8, 2017
The San Francisco 49ers have a new front office and coaching staff, but odds are good we see some similarities in the 49ers preseason schedule. The 49ers have faced the Denver Broncos each of the last five preseasons, and 38 times overall. Given John Lynch’s history with the team and John Elway, it’s safe to say they face off again. The last two years the 49ers have had joint practices with the Broncos. It would not surprise me if we saw that for a third straight year.
Other than that, the 49ers have faced the Chargers for 30 consecutive seasons. The Chargers are moving to LA now, so I guess it is possible something could change. The 49ers faced the Houston Texans for the third straight preseason last year, so that could happen again. They also faced the Green Bay Packers for the first time since 2008.
We’ll find out the full four-game slate on Monday.