NFL Minicamp UPDATE: Aaron Rodgers skipping, Russell Wilson ahead of Fields for QB1 | CBS Sports

Justin Pugh joins CBS Sports HQ to discuss the latest news and notes around NFL minicamps.

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CBS Sports HQ presented by Enterprise when it comes to the NFL uh taking a look at the NFL mini camps going on today but more than half the league in the middle of them right now some players are skipping because they want new contracts that’s normal others skipping we’re not really sure why speaking of of course Aaron Rogers uh Missing the entirety of jets mini camp to attend an event that his head coach Robert Salah said is quote important to him here’s more from Salah there was um a lot of craziness that came off with the aon’s absence yesterday as expected did you have any contact with him like talk to him after after between yesterday and today no I haven’t Robert you said that you had spoke you were aware that Aaron was not going to be here before yesterday is that correct yeah and uh Tyrod said he had only found out that morning is there any reason that wasn’t communicated to him before or no uh it’s it’s a one-on-one uh conversation it’s not something that team needed to know about I think you’re getting some blowback from media people about the use of the word unexcused and because you were okay with him not being here but he use the word unexcused so I wonder maybe if you could clarify why he used that word and also did you tell Ro did did Aaron though he was going to be termed unexcused and how he reacted to that no you’re fine um talked about it yesterday but uh Aaron Aaron and I are on the exact same page um there’s no issue uh between Aaron or his teammates for that matter um so like I said we addressed it yesterday it’s not it’s it’s more of an issue for for everyone outside the building than it is inside and um and that’s about it so we can joke we don’t know if Aaron Rogers in a cave somewhere I don’t know if you’ve seen him 10 year NFL vet uh Justin Pew joining us here but I I guess the thing is look he he was injured all of last season you would want him to be there I would think to get ready with his team for this season does this concern you at all it does concern me when is your starting quarterback the franchise missed last year with an Achilles you’re in the New York media if you were maybe in a place like Arizona maybe it wouldn’t be as big of a deal what is the event that is what everyone is going to talk about going into training camp the next six weeks before it starts what event was he attending I am no body demeanor expert but it didn’t look like Robert Sal was very pleased with this whole excused absence unexcused it puts his teammates in a tough position as well because I mean if on that team you’re probably going to be asked about it as well when I was in New York there was an event back in 2016 where some guys went on a boat trip before playoff game and that’s all we talked about for the following you know week leading up to the playoffs and and it will be a distraction guys will have to answer it the one thing that I can say definitively about Aaron Rogers his teammates love him so this won’t be an issue with the relationship with his teammates it’s just going to be an issue with the media and how they come into the locker room I’ve dealt with the the New York media for years Aaron will stand up and he’ll face it and he always faces it head on and I think that will put an end to the situation all right let’s move on to the Pittsburgh Steelers they’re in manyi camps and look Russell Wilson was brought on we think he’s going to be uh given every opportunity to be the starter going into the season but they also traded for Justin Fields as well here’s Russell Wilson talking about being rejuvenated with another new team feel I feel the Fountain of Youth man I just I feel um you know I feel revived in every way mentally emotions I feel confident um you know I think at some point you got to know who you are you know um as a player as a man as as a competitor um you know somebody who’s been fortunate to be able to play in this game you I don’t doubt it you know I just trust it I felt really I felt really good last year playing you know um I felt really confident um in the midst of everything and so I think right now I have all that confidence times 10 so just just use it all you know just use it all you just trust it okay so Justin you you let’s just say you’re a vet on that team and you’re looking at this quarterback potentially competition between the vet Russell Wilson and the youngster Justin Fields what are you looking for from those guys to to win this starting job it’s Russell’s job to lose I think that’s the one thing we have to to take into account this Pittsburgh team reminds me of a a lot of the teams that Seattle had in early 2013 14 when they went on those Super Bowl runs Pittsburgh made the playoffs last year with poor quarterback play if you if Russell can come in and be anywhere close to where he was in Seattle they are going to have success you look at that defense you look at TJ watt high Smith cam Hayward they have all the pieces they need a quarterback that can go out there and do what he has to do I’m I’m looking for Russ to be that guy and maybe Justin Fields comes in as like a third down package a fourth down package quarterback where he has the ability to run and get out in space because it is Justin field team down the road but Russ is going to be the starting quarterback this year do you have any concerns about his play there in Pittsburgh I mean you think we’re going to see what we saw in Denver uh I it’s great that he’s rejuvenated but we got to see it on the field he also said he was confident in in Denver last year we saw how that worked out my question with Russ is will he be able to handle the Pittsburgh mentality that blue collar you can’t have your own locker room you can’t have you know the it’s not as star studded as maybe it once was in Seattle so that’s the one thing I’m nervous about things start to go south and things start to come out where Russ has his own meeting room he’s doing things he wants to that that’s the tough part AFC North is going to be an incredibly tough division let’s talk about the Browns here Amari Cooper uh one of those players who is holding out right now he wants a a larger contract than he has is he deserving of one 100% and the funny thing about it is the Browns are one of the teams that spend if you look at their ownership and their GM Andrew Barry wat they spend more they spend more money than any other team in the NFL aside from maybe the Eagles and if you’re familiar with how they structure their deals it’s signing them early signing them to record-breaking contracts and then let everyone else fall in after they signed Jerry Judy to an extension already they’re probably going to sign Amari Cooper to a 22 million do a year deal look at what Mike Evans got in Tampa Bay they’re going to prate it out they’re going to push the signing bonus out the Cleveland Browns do a tremendous job because they have alignment from the owner to the GM to the coach everyone just got got extensions Amar deal workor get done I’m not worried about that one at all he’s going to be 30 next week but has uh has really been performing since he came over to the Cleveland Browns even in his uh his age of 28 and 29 as you get a little bit older you see Mike Evans a guy that’s aging as well beginning that 2-year $41 million deal uh Jason Kelce retired at the age of 36 this off season his 34-year-old brother says he has no plans to hang it up I really I can’t put a time frame on it man I love coming to work every single day um obviously uh I know I know that there’s opportunity outside of football for me and um and I think you you got to keep in perspective that uh that you know I’m still a little kid when I come into this building man I know I’m 34 years old about to be 35 but um I have a love to do this right here um in the middle of the heat in in June you know I’m I’m I love coming to work every single day and doing this so I uh I’m going to do it until the wheels fall off and hopefully uh that doesn’t happen anytime soon but I um I can definitely understand that uh it’s towards the end of the road than it is the beginning of it and um I just got to make sure I’m set up for after football as well so Kelsey’s 34 Justin Pew you’re 33 correct you’re kind of dealing with the same thing here at at the end of your NFL career trying to decide if if if you want to do that again or not Kelsey plays a different position of course not doing as much blocking as you or as maybe some of the tight ends before him like Tony Gonzalez who played till I think age 37 how much do you think he has left his brother played till 36 at Center NFL players are playing longer than ever the game is safer than ever the rules are coming in to protect offensive Stars one of the best tight ends of all time I think we talk about brand and the Taylor Swift aspect like the longer you play the longer he has that play till the wheels fall off Travis Kelce do not stop playing they got to push you out there and you play as long as you possibly can you have Patrick Mahomes as your quarterback we’re looking for a three repat there is no reason for him to walk away anytime soon I was going to say when it comes to that three Pat though could that be a reason I mean win or lose to hang it up I you look at what more am I going to do here what more can you do it depends how much money how much money does he want to be able with the podcasting and all and all the things he’s doing in the media space it would be foolish for him to walk away they could go down as the best tandem to ever play they might already be people are already talking about Patrick Mahomes is the next Tom Brady he’s the mini goat he’s going to take break all the records Travis is already breaking all of gr’s Records so if you’re Travis Kelsey you play as long as you Canen you keep winning winning Super Bowls putting up all the stats he’s going to be by far and large the the best of all time all he has is receiving yards left and he’s there what’s up with the St growing it out a little bit isn’t he I guess but it looks weird it’s the off season come on give cut him some slack Jack okay post Super Bowl they’re enjoying themselves out in Kansas City he’s had a hell of a sum as long as Taylor’s okay with it I think we have to be okay with it right there you go Justin Pew with us here on CBS Sports HQ looking at some story lines ahead of the Season Which is less than 3 months away our season on CBS and Paramount plus begins Sunday September 88th