Pittsburgh Steelers: Team President Wants Ben Roethlisberger Back
The Steelers have verbally committed to bringing Ben Roethlisberger back for another year after Team President Art Rooney II and the longtime veteran met last week.
The two had a "productive meeting" in which they discussed "a lot of things that relate to where we are and where we want to go."
"Ben assured me that he is committed to coming back to help us win, and I told Ben that we would like to have him back to help us win a championship," Rooney further said in a statement. "We both understand that the next step is to work out Ben's contract situation."
The final year of Roethlisberger's current contract has a $41.2 million salary cap hit and the Steelers are currently more than $19 million over the projected cap.
That means if the Steelers do bring Roethlisberger back, he would either have to accept a pay cut to the veteran minimum, which would give him a cap hit at just over $23 million, or the two sides would have to reach a contract restructure and extension. It must be worked out before March 17.
In a statement to NFL Network on Tuesday night, Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner, said "we are happy to creatively adjust his contract to help them build the best team possible."
As ESPN’s Brooke Pryor wrote, it's "the most committed the Steelers have sounded about bringing the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback back for at least one more season."
Cleveland Browns: Watching Myles Garrett on the Basketball Court Is Scary
You know why offensive tackles are so valuable? Because they have to block guys like Myles Garrett.
For anybody who didn't know how much of an athletic freak the Browns pass rusher is, a video of him playing basketball cements the case.
Of course, whenever a football player plays any sport other than football, there are outcries that he's going to get injured.
"Garrett has had ankle issues in the past, and there he is, making sharp cuts in low-top basketball shoes, and 275-pounds of muscle coming down hard after making monster dunks," wrote Dawg Pound Daily’s Elliot Kennel. "The last thing the Browns want to hear about is an ACL injury incurred on something that is not part of his off-season training program."
Garrett ranked sixth in the NFL with 12 sacks in 14 games played last season. Offensive tackles in the AFC North surely wouldn't be sad to see him give the NBA a try.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow Takes Notice of His Critics
Rehab offers a lot of opportunities to scroll through social media on your phone. Count Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as somebody looking for any fuel to add to his comeback.
After suffering a season-ending torn ACL during what was a record-setting rookie campaign, Burrow took notice of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman saying the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert is his favorite rookie quarterback – "by far."
Burrow liked this Instagram post from Pro Football Focus.
Herbert was fantastic en route to winning the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. But Burrow was off to a hot start that shouldn't be forgotten.
He had three straight 300-yard games until running into the Ravens in Week 4 (183 passing yards, one interception, two fumbles, seven sacks). Burrow responded with 406 passing yards and three touchdowns two weeks later against Cleveland.
Good Morning Football's Peter Schrager picked Burrow as his quarterback to make the biggest leap in 2021.
