NFL to release exhibition season schedule tonight

Passing the flag on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 at the opening of the brand new Mercedes Benz Stadium and pre-season NFL game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Passing the flag on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 at the opening of the brand new Mercedes Benz Stadium and pre-season NFL game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

The NFL is set to announce the full exhibition season schedule at 5 p.m. tonight on NFL Network.

The Hall of Fame game, the first exhibition game, has already been announced. The Ravens and the Bears will play on Aug. 2 in Canton, Ohio.

The league is expected to release the full schedule next week on April 18 or 19. The Falcons game at Philadelphia has attracted the attention of several of the league’s network partners and will very likely be a primetime or late afternoon game.

The Falcons will face the third-place teams from the NFC West (Arizona) and NFC North (Green Bay).

The Falcons also will face opponents from the NFC East (Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington and New York Giants) and AFC North (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland and Cincinnati).

In addition to New Orleans, Carolina and Tampa Bay, the Falcons will play potentially cold-weather road games at Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Green Bay and Washington.

In addition to New Orleans, Carolina and Tampa Bay, the home games will include Cincinnati, Arizona, Dallas, Giants and Baltimore.