AFC North stock up, down: Veterans hold off rookies

With the preseason behind us and the start of Week 1 just a couple of days away, here's a look at whose stock is up and down in the AFC North.

Stock up

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback: Fans were certainly holding their breaths when Burrow went down during the early stages of training camp with a calf injury. But Burrow has since returned to practice and all signs are pointing to him being out on the field come Week 1.

"They've been extremely cautious with it. Timing was really on their side," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said. "Zac Taylor, the head coach of the Bengals, calls Joe Burrow officially day-to-day...the belief is he'll be playing."

Of course, the worry of his calf strain getting reaggravated will be in the back of everyone's mind for the rest of the year. But as long as Burrow is playing, Cincinnati has a shot to win it all.

John Simpson, Baltimore Ravens guard: With the departure of guard Ben Powers this offseason, the Ravens needed to fill the void at left guard. It was an open competition between Simpson and 2023 sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu.

Simpson, a fourth-round pick in 2020 who has been with Baltimore since 2022, was officially announced as the starter.

"John's gonna be the starter. He's earned that," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. "John deserves it. He's had a great camp, a vet, physical and just love the way he played."

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns quarterback: Thompson-Robinson, the No. 140 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, may be the Browns' biggest surprise of the offseason. He climbed the depth chart every week and has since earned the job as Deshaun Watson's backup after completing 37-of-58 passes for 440 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason.

Cleveland is so confident in the rookie quarterback that the team traded QB Joshua Dobbs to the Cardinals and cut QB Kellen Mond to trim its roster to 53 players. The franchise has struggled to find talent at the position for years, but it seems like it might be set for the foreseeable future.

Stock down

Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley, Pittsburgh Steelers nickel cornerbacks: Sullivan and Riley have been battling all summer to be the Steelers starting slot corner. Both have made Pittsburgh's initial 53-man roster but the team has since signed veteran CB Desmond King II, brining uncertainly to both players.

The Steelers could opt to keep all three on their roster, but they may also decide that 11 defensive backs are too many. King brings versatility to Pittsburgh as he played 505 snaps at outside corner and 334 snaps at slot corner last season. Is another move by general manager Omar Khan in the works before the start of the 2023 season?

Siaki Ika, Cleveland Browns defensive tackle: The Browns made a point to bolster their defensive line this offseason after no player outside of DE Myles Garrett surpassed three sacks in 2022. Ika, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was one of the additions Cleveland is hoping will make a difference.

That hasn't been the case thus far, however, as Ika seems to have lost the starting job to Jordan Elliott, who had just two sacks a season ago. If Elliott struggles or gets injured, Ika could get another chance. But for now, he will have to sit back and learn.

Broderick Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle: The Steelers traded up in the first round this year to draft Jones, who the team is hoping will be its franchise blindside blocker. However, he has lost the job to Dan Moore Jr., who allowed seven sacks a season ago.

Jones' stock being down is more a product of Moore Jr.'s play than his own, but it is still disappointing as fans will have to wait at least a little while longer to see Pittsburgh's 2023 first-rounder play. It also doesn't help that Moore Jr. may have a great Week 1 showing if DE Nick Bosa, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, doesn't play as he is holding out for a new contract.