Pregame link extravaganza

Tonight is the debut of a new chapter of Browns football.

The last time the Browns faced a live opponent was January 3, a 28-12 home loss to the Steelers, mercifully ending the failed Pettine/Farmer era.

Of the 22 starters that day, it’s assured that eight of them will not be on the field tonight or when the regular season opens on September 11. No more than 11 will return as Week 1 starters, and probably fewer than that.

Tonight the Browns bring a revamping product onto the field under revamped leadership. Their hosts are one of the league’s great organizations, historically and currently: the Green Bay Packers. That franchise knows what it is, how it wants to function, and who its leaders are, because they’ve been there. They’ve imbued their community with the look and feel of winners in the league’s smallest market, unironically branded as Titletown, U.S.A. Meanwhile the Browns are looking for answers and feeling their way toward a much-needed turnaround.

So the return of football is eagerly awaited, because it’s past time to get on with it and begin manifesting the changed culture and infusion of energy the new regime represents.

While you’re waiting, here are a few things to keep you occupied:

How to watch the game

If you’re in one these media markets, you’re in luck:

Cleveland @ Green Bay
Mike Patrick, Solomon Wilcots
WEWS (ABC/5 – Cleveland)
WBNS (CBS/10 – Columbus)
WTOL (CBS/11 – Toledo)
WYTV (ABC/33 – Youngstown)
WHIO (CBS/7 – Dayton)		 8:00 ET Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
WACY (My/32 – Green Bay)
WMLW (49 – Milwaukee)
WKOW (ABC/27 – Madison)
WAOW (ABC/9 – Wausau WI)
WQOW (ABC/18 – Eau Claire WI)
WXOW (ABC/19 – La Crosse WI)
WLUC (FOX/6.2 – Marquette MI)
KQDS (FOX/21 – Duluth MN)
WHBF (CBS/4 – Quad Cities)
KWWL (7.2 – Waterloo IA)
KMTV (CBS/3 – Omaha)
KIMO (ABC/13 – Anchorage AK)
KATN (ABC/2 – Fairbanks AK)
KJUD (ABC/11 – Juneau AK)
KFVE (My/9 – Honolulu)

Otherwise, you can sign up for a seven-day trial of NFL Game Pass that will take you through the first two exhibitions.

You can also tune in to replays on NFL Network at these (Eastern) times:

  • Saturday, Aug. 13: 1 p.m.
  • Monday, Aug. 15: 4 p.m.

Learn more than you ever wanted to know about the Browns

The 2016 Cleveland Browns Media Guide (web reader or downloadable pdf)

The Browns’ weekly pre-game media release (pdf)

Current roster spreadsheet (Google Sheet webpage, downloadable for full functionality)

Want to check out which former Browns are vying for jobs across the league? Courtesy of the fan nicknamed “Utopia” and his thread in the OBR’s Watercooler, here they are:

QUARTERBACKS

RUNNING BACKS

TIGHT ENDS

WIDE RECEIVERS

KICKERS

CENTERS

GUARDS

OFFENSIVE TACKLES

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

LINEBACKERS

CORNERBACKS

SAFETIES

Injured:

  • Trent Richardson, waived by Baltimore
  • Brian Tyms, released with injury settlement by Indianapolis
  • Garrett Gilkey, Tampa Bay’s reserve/PUP list
  • Phil Taylor, Denver’s IR list
  • Kendall James, New York Jets’ IR list
  • Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, waived-injured by Miami

Unsigned:

And just to bring this post full circle, although they reportedly gave a tryout to Kellen Winslow II recently, not a single ex-Brown is on the roster of the stable, draft-oriented Green Bay Packers.