Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is 36 years and is getting set to begin his 15th season in Pittsburgh.

Despite prior flirtations with retirement [url=http://www.coltscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-braden-smith-jersey]Braden Smith Jersey[/url] , Roethlisberger appears committed to play at least three more years. In order to do so, Roethlisberger will need to manage his health while still producing to fend off a possible future challenge from rookie Mason Rudolph.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, Roethlisberger is having to carefully manage his workload as he prepares for the upcoming season with the Steelers.

“It’s a fine line I walk at this age, of resting and getting my body enough rest for the season and working out to prepare,” Roethlisberger said. “My trainer will get me as prepared as I can be. But it is a fine line of what you can do at this age.”

Roethlisberger has appeared in 200 career regular season games for Pittsburgh and thrown nearly 6,500 passes for over 51 [url=http://www.bearscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-aaron-lynch-jersey]Aaron Lynch Jersey[/url] ,000 yards in his 15-year career. He’s never missed than four games in any season he’s played and has managed to produce fantastic statistical seasons for the majority of his career.

Finding ways to maintain that level of production at this stage in his career is an ever-increasing challenge.

“You’ve got to listen to your body,” Roethlisberger said, “any aches and pains you might have, your arm being sore if you’re throwing too much, just things like that.”

After struggling with a knee injury late last season, Devonta Freeman says he is on track to returning to the form that made him the NFL’s highest-paid running back.

Freeman missed two games for the Atlanta Falcons last season following his second concussion in four months. Then a sprained right knee cut into his production in the last few games of 2017. The injury helped to keep him from his third straight season with 1 [url=http://www.bearscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-mike-glennon-jersey]Mike Glennon Jersey[/url] ,000 yards rushing. It also helped to stop the Falcons’ bid for a return trip to the Super Bowl.

No offseason surgery was necessary, and Freeman said Wednesday his knee is feeling better.

”I’m able to do a lot of things I couldn’t do back in January and February, running, cutting, sprinting, getting a little stronger [url=http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-mario-addison-jersey]Mario Addison Jersey[/url] ,” Freeman said.

Freeman said he’s ”making harder cuts” and ”sprinting a little faster” in his offseason workouts .

He said he wants to be ”100 percent healthy” for the team’s minicamp in June and training camp in July.

”Be able to be ready for game one,” he said.

Two straight Pro Bowl seasons earned Freeman a five-year, $41.25 million extension before the 2017 season. It was the top overall salary package for any NFL running back. Only Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell has a higher average salary.

Health problems quickly followed Freeman’s big new deal.

He spent the last two weeks of the preseason in concussion protocol before suffering another concussion on the second play of Atlanta’s 27-7 win over Dallas on Nov. 12. He missed the next two games but returned with three strong games, including a season-high 126 yards rushing at Tampa Bay on Dec. 18.

The knee injury helped to limit Freeman’s production the rest of the season. He was held to a combined 59 yards rushing in the final two regular-season games and then managed only seven yards on 10 carries in a playoff loss to Philadelphia.

Following the season, Freeman said he feared he would need surgery on the right knee. No surgery was needed, so he has focused on rebuilding strength through his offseason program.

Freeman’s health will be a key for Atlanta’s offense [url=http://www.broncoscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-royce-freeman-jersey]Royce Freeman Jersey[/url] , which led the league in scoring in 2016 before falling to mid-pack in the league last year. The Falcons will be closely watching Freeman’s health, as top backup Tevin Coleman is entering the final year of his contract.

The Falcons selected running back Ito Smith from Southern Mississippi in the fourth round of last week’s NFL draft. Smith is expected to replace Terron Ward as the team’s third running back, behind Freeman and Coleman.

General manager Thomas Dimitroff said Smith was not drafted to be a safety net if the team can’t re-sign Coleman.

”That’s not what we’re looking back,” Dimitroff said Saturday. ”We’re looking at him being a nice addition in that third position.”

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