First Call: Is Kyle Dubas now in play for Penguins' GM search? Steelers allegedly sign rookie tryout RB

The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have added to their running back room. A former Steeler is trying to find a new home in the NFC South. The Pirates got as little help as they should’ve expected from the Kansas City Royals against the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend.

A few Penguins are helping Team USA’s cause at the World Championships. And is Kyle Dubas really going to be a candidate for the Penguins general manager’s job?

All that in Monday’s “First Call.”

Where is Washington?

Former Steelers James Washington is looking to latch on with a new team.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the wide receiver is going to visit the New Orleans Saints on Monday.

Free agent wide receiver James Washington is visiting the #Saints on Monday, per source.

Former second-round pick dealt with foot injury with Dallas last season but is healthy now. Had promising moments in Pittsburgh with 1,629 yards and 11 TDs from 2018-21.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 14, 2023

After leading the 2019 Steelers in receiving yards with 735, Washington’s production fell off the next two years. He signed in Dallas prior to last season, but a foot injury resulted in him missing all but two games. Washington wound up with no catches and just one target on the season. He signed with the New York Giants practice squad in January but wasn’t kept on the team once the season ended.

If the former Oklahoma State Cowboy lands on a roster somewhere, it’ll be his sixth season in the league.

With Michael Thomas getting knocked out in Week 3 of last season, that left rookie Chris Olave as New Orleans’ lone threat at wide receiver. He had 1,042 yards on 72 catches. No other wide receiver on the team had more than 30 catches or 500 yards. Tight end Juwan Johnson and running back Alvin Kamara were New Orleans’ top two pass catchers after Olave.

Sticking around

Via SteelersNow.com, at least one rookie minicamp tryout candidate is going to get an extended look.

On Sunday, Morgan State running back Alfonzo Graham tweeted that he has signed with the franchise.

Official a steeler Signed !!!

— (@Alfonzograham2) May 14, 2023

The team has yet to confirm that, but assuming they do, Graham will be competing with the likes of Anthony McFarland, Master Teague and Jason Huntley for Benny Snell’s reps. That’s assuming he doesn’t return as a free agent.

Graham isn’t very big (5-foot-8, 190 pounds). But he also has kick-return experience.

Prior to Morgan State, he had stops at Arizona Western, Independence Community College and Fullerton College. He won the MEAC rushing title in 2022 with 1,150 yards and eight touchdowns.

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Dubas done?

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has long been rumored as a candidate to replace Ron Hextall as the Penguins GM — if he and the Maple Leafs part ways after the playoffs.

Now, thanks to a Game 5 elimination by the Florida Panthers on Friday, the Leafs are done, and the speculation has begun.

At the Daily Faceoff, three different hockey pundits — Matt Larkin, Nick Alberga and Mike McKenna — all predicted that Dubas wouldn’t be back in Toronto.

“Kyle Dubas is a free agent, and without question, I think he’ll be highly sought after by other teams regardless of if the Leafs want him back or not,” Alberga said.

Larkin added that Toronto might stick goalie Matt Murray on long-term injured reserve to create some cap room.

Meanwhile, Larry Brooks of the New York Post has been pushing a theory that Dubas will go to Pittsburgh and dump head coach Mike Sullivan in favor of his coach in Toronto, Sheldon Keefe. Then he thinks Sullivan will take over as the Rangers head coach.

So I will pass along this scenario that was just presented to me.

Dubas leaves Toronto to become Pittsburgh GM, brings Keefe with him, as such fires Mike Sullivan, who in turn becomes free (assuming permission) to become NYR HC.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) May 9, 2023

On Saturday, Brooks doubled down on that speculation. While admitting it’s a long shot, Brooks said he “received an unsolicited text from a player late Thursday who said the rumor ‘was getting pretty loud.’”

As of yet, that scenario hasn’t gotten any Pittsburgh corroboration.

Black and Gold with the Red, White and Blue

Team USA is scheduled to play Germany on Monday at the IIHF World Championships in Finland. It’s an early start. The game faces off at 9:20 a.m.

So far, the Americans have gotten good play from Penguins participants. Nick Bonino scored two goals during a 7-1 Team USA win over Hungary on Sunday.

Turnover → Grimaldi → Bonino → Goal #MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/EtgBpGfU0A

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) May 14, 2023

On Friday, Team USA topped host Finland 4-1. Drew O’Connor had a goal and two assists. Casey DeSmith stopped 23 of 24 Finnish shots. DeSmith is expected to get a start against Germany as well.

Royal flameout

The Pirates got no help from the Kansas City Royals this weekend. As the Bucs were dropping two of three in Baltimore, the National League Central-leading Brewers were sweeping the hapless Royals.

That means Milwaukee will start the week with a 1½ game lead on the Pirates atop the division. They completed the sweep Sunday with a 9-6 win over Kansas City. Christian Yelich helped the cause with a home run.

Christian Yelich: home run machine#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/5ZraG2YqCa

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 14, 2023

That was Yelich’s seventh of the year. After a tough April, the 2018 MVP has really stepped up in May. Yelich is batting .348 (16 of 46) with four homers and 12 RBIs in May. That’s after posting just a .228 average with three homers and 11 RBIs in April.

Milwaukee heads to St. Louis for three games starting Monday. Meanwhile, the Pirates have Monday off before going to Detroit for a short two-game series Tuesday and Wednesday.

At 12-30, the Royals have the second-worst record in Major League Baseball. Only the 9-33 Oakland A’s are worse.