'Bittersweet' Banner: Ravens Preview Chiefs Super Bowl Celebration

SEPT 3 BITTERSWEET The Baltimore Ravens are in town for Week 1 to take on Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. ... and they will have to watch their rivals raise their Super Bowl 58 banner at Arrowhead.

Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey thinks "it's kind of cool,'' he said.

But also kind of not.

"Obviously, it's not cool for us, but it just shows who you're playing. You're playing the defending Super Bowl champs, and that's a ceremony that you want to be a part of, but you want to be on the other side,'' he said. "Wanting that so bad, I think it will be bittersweet to go out there (as) they're celebrating their Super Bowl thing and hoping – fast forward a year later – you could be doing the same."

SEPT 3 SUPER! The Kansas City Chiefs' timing here is impeccable. The add of old friend JuJu Smith-Schuster comes right when "Hollywood" Brown will be missing time ... and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is fired up about the known quantity coming back to KC.

“It’s super exciting," Mahomes said. "Just the person and then being in the locker room, being in the meeting rooms, he gets it, man. He gets how to be a pro, and then he works hard. ...

"It’s good to have that type of guy in that receiver room.”

The Chiefs in 2022 got 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns from JuJu. They could use some of that right now, starting Thursday night in Week 1 vs. the Ravens.

AUG 31 TRADE RB? We don't get it. The Kansas City Chiefs might need running back depth behind Isiah Pacheco, and that's their problem.

But why should the Steelers help them out?

In a recent article by Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine , he makes a "bold trade prediction'' that would have the Chiefs try to acquire one of the Steelers' running backs, either Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren.

"Notable trade targets that could make sense include either of the Pittsburgh Steelers running backs," Ballentine writes. "Both are set to become free agents after this season and it's unlikely the Steelers pay both of them. If the Steelers struggle early in the season they might be willing to deal one of them to the Chiefs and get something in return."

One truth: If the Steelers get to the trade deadline and view themselves as non-contenders, they could strip down the roster. But that's a long way off. Teams need two running backs - as the Chiefs know, which is why they might search.

The Steelers think they can push to the playoffs. And they have two running backs. And they need them both.

AUG 29 UGLY IN THE BAY The Brandon Aiyuk drama with the San Francisco 49ers could all be fixed with one swipe of the pen, a contract done in The Bay and smiles all around. Or not.

The Niners say they were expecting Aiyuk to practice on Wednesday given that he is under contract and that Week 1 is almost upon up. That didn't happen. Aiyuk is essentially AWOL.

This has been called a "hold-in'' as he waits for a contract extension or a trade, maybe either to the Steelers or the Commanders. But if he isn't showing up? That's not a "hold-in.''

That's a holdout.

AUG 27 THE JOURNEY Washington Commanders receiver Martavis Bryant is still trying to mount that comeback, as the former Steelers standout who was on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad last year is his chance with the Commanders.

He scored a TD in their preseason finale against the New England Patriots as he hauled in three catches for 20 yards and a touchdown against New England.

Head coach Dan Quinn appreciates what Bryant has endured in coming off a half-decade of suspensions.

"You really have appreciation for somebody's journey," Quinn said of Bryant . "So, for someone like him to stay with it, that shows a lot of grit where it would've been real easy just to walk away and not be able to do it.''

Is he going to make the 53-man cut? He's got a shot, and here's among the reasons why, via Quinn: "I think it's probably a combination of he's a good teammate as a new guy here, but there's also some appreciation for a story that shows some real resilience and some fight which these guys certainly appreciate."

AUGUST 27 - CEEDEE EXTENSION - After a weeks-long holdout from training camp, star receiver CeeDee Lamb returned to the Dallas Cowboys facility Monday as he signed his new contract.

After almost a month of waiting and even some indirect back-and-forth between Lamb and Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones, the two sides came to an agreement on Monday.

According to reports, Lamb signed a four-year contract totaling $136 million, with an annual average value of $34 million. He became the league's second-highest-paid non-quarterback. Only Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson ranks above him in terms of money.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Cowboys and Lamb in Week 5, which will be NBC's "Sunday Night Football" game.

Steelers Eyeing Trades for WRs Patrick and Metchie III?

AUGUST 26 - TOUCHDOWN - The road back to the NFL was long for former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant . The now-current Washington Commander had his once-promising career sidelined as he served a six-year suspension due to multiple infractions of the NFL's policy on drug use.

However, despite the long layoff, he is still trying to make an NFL comeback. This led to Bryant's first highlight during Sunday's 20-12 Commanders preseason win over the New England Patriots, where he found the endzone for the first time since being reinstated.

The four-yard touchdown reception was Bryant's first since December 17, 2017, when, ironically, he totaled 59 yards and a touchdown on four receptions as a member of the Steelers versus the Patriots.

AUGUST 25 - CHASE IS BACK? - With the NFL's preseason wrapped up for all but six teams, attention is turning toward the upcoming roster cutdown day and preparations for the regular season opener. However, for others, like Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja'Marr Chase, it is time to return to work.

The former first-round pick has been a holdout from Bengals training camp as he awaits a contract extension. Despite not having one yet, he finally returned to the practice field as a participant Sunday, according to NFL.com's Tom Pelissero .

While this doesn't necessarily mean that Chase will receive a contract extension immediately, it seemingly indicates that his holdout will likely not extend into the beginning of the regular season.

AUGUST 23 - KICKER TRADE— In what may not ultimately go down as a surprising move, the Pittsburgh Steelers ' rival Cleveland Browns pulled off a trade Thursday. And no, it wasn't a trade for San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk .

Rather, they were the team giving up a player, kicker Cade York, who they sent to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick.

With the NFL's roster cutdown day looming, teams are expected to begin making roster moves, even including trades, as they trim down to the 53-man limit.

After signing veteran kicker Dusty Hopkins to a three-year, $15.9 million extension this offseason, it comes as little surprise that the Browns moved on from York.

AUGUST 21 - BROWNS PLAYER RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL - Anytime a player goes down with an injury, there could be a tendency to hold your breath, hoping it is nothing serious.

However, that holding-your-breath feeling must've been more extreme for the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday, as they saw third-year running back Pierre Strong Jr. enter the ambulance with an apparent upper-body injury.

However, fortunately, the injury wasn't too serious. The Pittsburgh Steelers ' AFC North rival announced Wednesday evening that the 25-year-old had been released from the hospital with a rib contusion.

"Browns RB Pierre Strong suffered a rib contusion," the Browns said in a statement. "He has been released from University Hospitals after being transported there by ambulance as a precaution while experiencing shortness of breath."

Strong is now the second Browns running back to be released from the hospital following an injury in training camp. D'Onta Foreman was taken into an ambulance after a neck injury.