2018 NFL Preseason Schedule Released: Opponents, Dates, Times and More

The anticipation for the 2018 NFL season, which starts Sept. 6, can begin after the league announced the full 65-game preseason schedule Wednesday.             

Things will kick off Aug. 2 with the Hall of Fame Game between the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. That matchup will be part of the annual enshrinement festivities during the week. 

Here is the schedule of preseason games that will be nationally televised, via NFL.com:

Thursday, Aug. 2: Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Thursday, Aug. 16: New York Jets at Washington Redskins, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Monday, Aug. 20: Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Thursday, Aug. 23: Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns, 8 p.m. ET (Fox)

Friday, Aug. 24: Detroit Lions at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)

Saturday, Aug. 25: New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)

Sunday, Aug. 26: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills, 4 p.m. ET (Fox)

Sunday, Aug. 26: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Among the notable preseason games to keep an eye on is a Super Bowl LII rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Week 2. 

The Eagles captured their first-ever Lombardi Trophy with a 41-33 victory over the Patriots on Feb. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Nick Foles was named MVP after throwing for 373 yards with four total touchdowns (one receiving). 

Philadelphia head coach Doug Pederson told NFL.com's Steve Wyche at the league's annual meetings last month in Orlando, Florida, that quarterback Carson Wentz is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab from a torn ACL suffered during a Dec. 10 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

It's unclear if Wentz will be available to play in the preseason, though his potential presence in a game against the Patriots would certainly add more intrigue to a marquee matchup between arguably the two best teams in the NFL. 

After losing to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, the Minnesota Vikings will get their first look at quarterback Kirk Cousins in a Week 1 road matchup against the Denver Broncos, who signed Case Keenum away from Minnesota.

Cousins joined the reigning NFC North champions after signing a historic fully guaranteed $84 million deal in March. 

One of the biggest storylines is Jon Gruden's return to coaching with the Oakland Raiders after spending the past nine years as a broadcaster and an analyst for ESPN. His new vision for the Silver and Black will be on display for the first time against the Detroit Lions in Week 1 of preseason games. 

While the 2018 NFL draft in Arlington, Texas, is still two weeks away, the Cleveland Browns—assuming they don't make any deals—will get their first looks at the first and fourth overall selections in a showdown with the New York Giants, who own the No. 2 pick.