About an hour ago
Wednesday’s “first call” verifies Antonio Brown’s latest call to return to the NFL. Is he calling on an old team again?
We’re also talking about future plans for a Steelers draft pick and a former coach.
Plus, a glimpse of how the Montreal Canadiens performed in their warm-up game after the Penguins lost to the Philadelphia Flyers.
One and done
The Penguins had their only exhibition game in the NHL against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. They lost 3-2 in overtime.
Some thoughts:
• As in the regular season, the power play continues to be a mystery. Mike Sullivan is still struggling to best deploy all this talent in a harmonious way. He went 0-3 overnight.
• The Flyers’ two regulatory goals were the result of a hesitant defensive change from Marcus Pettersson and appalling turnover from Evgeni Malkin.
“Thank you.”
– @ KevinPHayes12 (probably). #Stanley Cup
????????: https://t.co/pqRDv2rMR8 @NHLonNBCSports
????????: https://t.co/w05LDX6Xar @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/sfHkM8fyM5– NHL (@NHL) July 28, 2020
It’s hard to pin either of those goals on Matt Murray.
Jeez! Are Malkin and Kris Letang getting any assists on this one?
• Early in the relief, Tristan Jarry may have had to make a few more difficult saves than Murray, jumping straight to a power play. He also made a gem in overtime, before allowing the game-winner Scott Laughton. But I don’t see the need for Jarry to replace Murray after this game.
• Malkin didn’t really wake up until the third period. But when he did, you saw a few flashes of how he could work with Jason Zucker as those two combined to hit a goal that ultimately forced overtime to 2-2.
The Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens will meet for the first game of their best five series at 8 p.m. Saturday in Toronto.
Meanwhile, Montreal also played a warm-up game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The Canadians lost 4-2. Alexander Kerfoot has scored twice for Toronto, including a shorthanded goal.
Shorthanded speed ???? # LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/8E70aZ950j
– Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 29, 2020
Canadiens goalie Carey Price made 19 saves on 23 shots.
Opportunistic AB
New England Patriots players are withdrawing from the 2020 pandemic season at a high rate.
Linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung are the biggest names. These two defensive starters are three-time Super Bowl champions.
Running back Brandon Bolden, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, fullback Danny Vitale and reserve offensive lineman Najee Toran also opted out.
However, combined with those defections and free agency losses, the Patriots now have a $ 24 million cap, according to Boston Sports Journal cap guru Miguel Benzan.
After taking into account
the opt-outs of Chung, Hightower, Marcus Cannon, Bolden, Toran and Vitale
5 guaranteed salaries added to Patriots dead money
Hastings re-signing
my new Patriots salary cap space number is $ 24,745,302. The Patriots now have 75 players on their 2020 roster.– Cap Space = $ 24,735,302 (@patscap) July 28, 2020
The Boston Herald suggests the team could try to chase pass hunter Jadeveon Clowney in free agency.
Meanwhile, former Patriots wide receiver – and Steelers All Pro – Antonio Brown could try to leverage the Patriots to spend some of their new ceiling space.
Remember, Mr. Big Chest is still a free agent. He recently settled a salary dispute with the Patriots. Based on this article, it looks like he’s ready to let the past go.
Or Brown just talks about “possibilities” in general with any team if he can resolve his delayed discipline issues with the league. But based on all of the Patriots news earlier today, it seems like more than a coincidence.
Go all out for BA
Former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians is now 68 years old. He is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has Tom Brady as a quarterback. And he’s not leaving behind the scenes despite concerns surrounding the coronavirus for people in his age group.
The Arians were asked on Tuesday if he could train in the pit instead of staying away.
“No. There’s no way I’m training from a box,” Arians said via ProFootballTalk.com. “Once we get a [face] shield that I love, I will have my mask and my shield.
“I’m very comfortable with our protocols now that I’ve got used to the protocols.”
The Arians also battled cancer of the prostate, skin and kidneys.
High hopes for Highsmith
Alex Highsmith was the Steelers’ second pick in the 2020 draft (3rd round, pick 102).
Charlotte’s rookie is seen as a potential replacement for Bud Dupree if the outside linebacker leaves via free agency. Now that Dupree is playing 2020 on the franchise tag and the salary cap could drop to as low as $ 175 million next year, Dupree’s departure looks almost assured.
Via Zoom, I asked Highsmith if he was more competent to rush to the right or left side.
“In college last year, I rushed to the right side,” Highsmith said. “I feel a little more comfortable on that side. But I’m going to train on both sides so that I can get my moves from different sides. Whichever position they put me in, I’ll do whatever I can to join the quarterback and stop the run to be a three-goal outside linebacker.
Over the past two years, Dupree has started as a right outside linebacker, and TJ Watt has been on the left.
Tim Benz is a writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication, unless otherwise specified.
Categories:
Penguins / NHL | Sports | Steelers / NFL | Breakfast with Benz
