First Call: Devin Bush back in AFC North; other AFC teams battling Steelers for Tyler Boyd
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Friday’s “First Call” features a new home for ex-Steeler Devin Bush, the prospect of Tyler Boyd returning to Pittsburgh, Jake Guentzel’s first point in Carolina, and a pair of huge wins for Pitt and Duquesne.
See you soon
Devin Bush is coming back to the AFC North. The ex-Steelers linebacker has signed a free-agent contract with the Cleveland Browns. That’s according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Browns are signing former Steelers and Seahawks linebacker Devin Bush to a one-year deal, per source. pic.twitter.com/K7RDybqy7p
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2024
Bush was a washout in Pittsburgh after being a Top 10 pick in 2019. The Steelers let him walk after four years. He was picked up last season on a one-year deal in Seattle.
With the Seahawks, Bush started three games and registered 37 tackles. Eighteen of them came against the Steelers in Week 17. One was for a loss. Bush’s father played two years in Cleveland in 2001 and 2002.
Any guy who hates cats as much as Bush does should be very popular in a place called the “Dawg Pound.”
On the board
Jake Guentzel has his first point as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. He registered an assist on a tumbling goal by Martin Necas on Thursday night.
Sometimes you fall, sometimes you score, sometimes you fall while scoring pic.twitter.com/LnJSgHCCfh
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 15, 2024
It took a scoring change for Guentzel to get the assist. But that’s how it eventually went down on the final score sheet. The Hurricanes ended up getting the win 4-0 over the Florida Panthers.
That’s a good win for Carolina after suffering a 1-0 shutout loss to the Rangers two nights earlier in Guentzel’s debut. After all, the Panthers are atop the NHL standings with 94 points.
That victory gave Carolina 86 points, good for second in the Metropolitan Division, four points behind the first-place Rangers who lost 6-3 to Tampa Bay. Brayden Point has three goals and three assists for the Lightning.
The Rangers are in Pittsburgh on Saturday to play the Penguins. Guentzel and the Hurricanes play in Pittsburgh on March 26.
Boyd in Black and Gold?
After being a standout at Clairton and Pitt, there’s some belief that wide receiver Tyler Boyd may want to join the Steelers.
He is a free agent; the Bengals are going through some cuts of veteran skill position players and are trying to figure out what to do with Tee Higgins on the franchise tag. Plus, the Steelers are in desperate need of wide-receiver help after trading Diontae Johnson. Frankly, they needed help even before that.
Last season, Boyd caught 67 passes for 667 yards and two touchdowns. He has posted 513 catches for exactly 6,000 yards and 31 touchdowns over his eight-year Bengals career.
But some other AFC teams might be in the mix for his services too. MassLive.com is reporting that the Patriots may have an interest. New England was making a push for Jaguars pass catcher Calvin Ridley. But he is going to Tennessee instead.
The Athletic is reporting the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets also could be in the conversation.
If Boyd does come back to Pittsburgh, that would be ironic after he ripped the franchise for allegedly quitting during a game two years ago and criticized the team’s “lack of camaraderie” after George Pickens’ noted minimal effort and awareness in the team’s loss at Indianapolis last year.
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Clear job to do
A week ago, the conversation was about whether Pitt and Duquesne might play each other in the NIT. Now, the conversation is about whether both teams might get into the NCAA Tournament.
That’s because Pitt is still alive in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, taking on fourth-ranked North Carolina on Friday. That’s a result of the Panthers’ 81-69 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday. Meanwhile, Duquense stunned No. 24 Dayton 65-57 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Brooklyn.
The Dukes will need to win the A-10 Tournament to gain automatic entry into the NCAA field. They won’t have the clout to grab an at-large bid. In order to claim the trophy, Keith Dambrot’s club will have to beat St. Bonaventure on Saturday in the semifinals and either VCU or St. Joseph’s in the final on Sunday.
The Dukes beat the Bonnies twice this year, they split with St. Joe’s and they beat VCU on the road.
As for Pitt, they are still on the bubble for an at-large bid. A victory over the Tar Heels would no doubt get the Panthers into the Field of 68. But if they stall out in the ACC semifinals Friday night (7 p.m.), they may not make it.
As of now, ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi has the Panthers on the “first four out” line despite the victory Thursday.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi talks #Pitt.
SVP advocates for Pitt’s case here. Lunardi makes it clear that the committee does not reward bubble teams with bad non-conference strength of schedules. pic.twitter.com/CDvzeHTrA0
— George Michalowski (@MichalowskiCBB) March 15, 2024
UNC won in Pittsburgh 70-57 earlier this year. Star big man Armando Bacot had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Heels. Pitt’s Blake Hinson was limited to 11 points on 4 of 16 shooting.