Regardless of how some of their critics might feel, the Cleveland Browns look like a team on the rise right now. Granted, the quarterback situation is still a problem, but Todd Monken's team should still be better than some think.
The AFC North might be a ticking time bomb. The heat is on the Cincinnati Bengals to finally get back to the playoffs. Lamar Jackson's contract situation looms large for the new-look Baltimore Ravens. The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to run it back with an aging roster.
The division might be more up for grabs than some think, and the Steelers appear poised to subject themselves to unnecessary risk before we even get to Week 1. In a sit-down with The Athletic's Michael Silver, Aaron Rodgers revealed that head coach Mike McCarthy wants to play him in the preseason.
"He (wants me out there) 30 or 40 plays," a surprised Rodgers told Silver. "I said, 'Mike, if you want me to play, I'll play.' I'm not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will."
Aaron Rodgers doesn't need preseason reps at this stage of his career
One doesn't have to be a football savant to know that playing Rodgers in the preseason is not the best decision. Rodgers will turn 43 this season, and he's already revealed that this will be his final year.
So what if Rodgers gets hurt? The Steelers would be left with a quarterback room of Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar. There's no logical reason to have Rodgers take the field in the preseason, not even for a single snap. He spent 13 years with McCarthy, and he's already familiar with most of the Steelers' skill players from last season.
Rodgers is a plug-and-play guy. He's a cerebral quarterback who'll make adjustments at the line of scrimmage and call his own plays anyway, so why risk injury by playing him in a meaningless preseason contest?
Rodgers has had the Browns' number, going 4-1 with 1,111 yards, 11 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 109.8 in five career games vs. the franchise. The Browns got the best of him in their latest matchup, though, holding him to 168 passing yards in a 13-6 win.
Again, true fans will never wish ill on anyone. That's just not the point. But if the Steelers want to take unnecessary risks and potentially hurt their chances in a division that already looks wide open, Browns fans will take it any day.
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