It’s unlikely that we will see any starters take the field, but there will still be plenty of excitement for the Hall of Fame Game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. This is the first game of the new calendar season, and tens of thousands of fans will be in attendance while millions of fans watch this game from home.
The 2023 NFL Preseason will get underway this week as the New York Jets take on the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame Game. These teams will meet on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
NFL Betting Odds
NFL Hall of Fame Game Betting Odds
New York Jets +1.5
Cleveland Browns -1.5
Total 33
Odds Analysis
The NFL Hall of Fame Game has been canceled three times in the last 12 years, but it should be played on Thursday barring some odd occurrence. Preseason games aren’t typically high scoring, thus the low total, yet the “home” team in this neutral site game has gone on to win seven of the last nine meetings.
New York Jets
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the New York Jets ahead of the 2023 NFL season. The Jets finished at the bottom of the AFC East last season with a record of 7-10, but they had a great defense and are seemingly in position to contend provided they have good quarterback play.
Enter Aaron Rodgers. The long-time Green Bay quarterback has been jockeying for a change of scenery over the last few seasons, and he finally got his wish this offseason. Rodgers was dealt to the Jets for multiple draft picks, and the future Hall of Famer will look to make one more Super Bowl run in the Big Apple. He will turn 40 in December, but we saw Tom Brady play at a high level well into his 40s.
Head coach Robert Saleh has stated that the Jets won’t be playing any of their starters in this game, so Zach Wilson is expected to be the No. 1 quarterback for New York on Thursday night. Tim Boyle will be the backup, and exciting dual-threat QB Chris Streveler should see plenty of action too. The Jets have some solid options at running back too as Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, and rookies Israel Abanikanda and Travis Dye are all on the roster.
Cleveland Browns
We haven’t seen many make-or-break seasons in recent memory with stakes as high as that of Deshaun Watson’s second year with the Cleveland Browns. Watson signed an unprecedented fully guaranteed contract with the team in order to lure him away from other suitors, but he was not great in his first season with his new team. He is set to have a cap hit of $64 million annually from 2024 to 2026, and that’s the largest number we have ever seen in the NFL.
As with Rodgers, we won’t see Watson on the field this Thursday night. Cleveland does not want to risk injury to its franchise quarterback, so Joshua Dobbs, Kellen Mond, and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will split the load under center. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has already stated that he expects DTR to play significant minutes as the Browns try to determine whether to keep the fifth-round pick on the roster or not.
Jets vs. Browns Free Pick
Cleveland doesn’t have a lot of depth on the roster as a result of Watson’s deal. The Browns will be more cautious than the Jets with their reserves, while the Jets look to see who might flourish alongside Rodgers in this offense. That’s why I’m going to jump at the chance to receive points with Gang Green, and I won’t be surprised if they are favored by the time this game kicks off.
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