CANTON, Ohio — With Joe Thomas and the rest of the 2023 class set to be enshrined in Canton on Saturday, the Cleveland Browns will face the New York Jets in the annual Hall of Fame Game.
What follows is everything you need to know about the Browns' preseason opener:
Game info, how to watch on TV, betting line:
Date: Thursday, August 3, 2023
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio
TV channel: WKYC (local), NBC (national)
Streaming: Peacock
Radio: ESPN 850, 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX
Betting line: Jets -1
Over-under point total: 33.5
Preview
The lights might be shining on Canton, but the stars will be on the sideline. While both the Browns and Jets possess intriguing quarterbacks in Deshaun Watson and Aaron Rodgers, respectively, neither star signal-caller play -- as has become customary in the Hall of Fame Game in recent years.
Rather, Cleveland will start third-year quarterback Kellen Mond, who could ultimately be the odd man out of the Browns' quarterback room at preseason's end. A third-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2021, Mond spent his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings, before being claimed by Cleveland off waivers at the end of the 2022 preseason.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has also already committed to 2023 fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson serving as Cleveland's quarterback for the second half of Thursday's exhibition. As for the Jets, 2021 No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson will get the start at quarterback following a disappointing sophomore season that led to New York pursuing Rodgers in the first place.
All things considered, don't count on see many -- if any -- starters for either team. But man, does it feel good to have football back.