close
close

First call: Steelers could consider returning Bud Dupree; Allen Robinson signs elsewhere; Jake Guentzel scores again

Posted on by angelo
First call: Steelers could consider returning Bud Dupree; Allen Robinson signs elsewhere; Jake Guentzel scores again

Friday’s “First Call” discusses a possible Pittsburgh Steelers reunion with a former first-round pick.

An ex-Steeler goes to New York. Jake Guentzel continues to do what he always does in the playoffs.

And a trio of former Pirate pitchers take to the mound with the wind in their sails.

Is “Big Bud” Coming Back?

The Steelers could benefit from reuniting with former outside linebacker Bud Dupree. That’s according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

The Steelers could definitely use another backup OLB besides Nick Herbig. Markus Golden, who handled this role well last year, is also a free agent.

Dupree is now 31 years old. As Schefter mentioned, he played the 2023 season with the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year deal worth around $3 million. Dupree started 16 games for the Falcons, recording 6.5 sacks. It’s a tie for team leader. He totaled 39 tackles, including eight for a loss.

A first-round pick by Kentucky in the 2015 draft, Dupree was a late bloomer. After a few years of slow development, Dupree was excellent in 2019 and 2020 before a knee injury cut him short with six games remaining in his walk-on year as a Steeler.

Despite suffering a torn ACL, Dupree entered free agency and signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Tennessee Titans in 2021.

However, Dupree missed 12 games in two years in Nashville and totaled just seven sacks.

I always liked Dupree and loved the way he played his last two seasons in Pittsburgh. But last year, it seemed like Golden still had a little more left in the tank. Golden had four sacks in 230 snaps. Dupree played 724 snaps to get his 6.5.

If a re-signing is going to happen, I would prefer it to happen with Golden.

Allen to the Big Apple

As the Steelers look for wide receiver help, one of their own is going elsewhere.

Allen Robinson signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants. The Penn State product played in all 17 games for the Steelers last season, catching 34 balls for 280 yards. These are the lowest career marks for Robinson over a full season of play.

During his career, Robinson has 562 career receptions for 7,028 yards and 43 touchdowns in 127 games.

Once he arrives at the Giants, Robinson will enter a large receiver room that also includes fellow former Steelers Gunners Olszewski and Miles Boykin.

Another goal from Guentzel

Jake Guentzel scored again for the Carolina Hurricanes in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the New York Rangers.

The former Penguin scored the first goal of the game in Raleigh on Thursday night. That’s after he scored two in Game 2 on Tuesday.

For Guentzel, that represents 38 career playoff goals.

Unfortunately for Guentzel and the Hurricanes, the Rangers won the game 3-2. Upper St. Clair’s Vincent Trocheck had two assists. New York now leads the best of seven 3-0.

The Rangers look to close out the sweep on Saturday.

Not alone

When Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon returns to PNC Park Friday night, he won’t be alone among the former Pirates pitchers still working well beyond their time in Pittsburgh.

Taillon opens a three-game series for the Cubs in Pittsburgh against Bucs rookie Jared Jones. So far, 2024 has been kind to Taillon. He is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four starts. After a delayed start to the season due to back issues, Taillon has yet to allow more than one earned run in each of his outings thus far.

Ex-Buccos Tyler Glasnow and Charlie Morton will also be there Friday night. Glasnow is 6-1 so far for the Los Angeles Dodgers, with a 2.70 ERA and 63 strikeouts. This strikeout total is tied with Zack Wheeler for the most in Major League Baseball.

Glasnow faces the San Diego Padres (20-20), who are in second place in the National League West, 6.5 games behind the Dodgers for first place in the division.

As for Morton, at age 40, he is 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in six starts this season. He pitches against the New York Mets on Friday night.

Atlanta begins play Friday night 22-12, two games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the National League East.

LISTEN: RotoWire’s Jeff Erickson joins Tim Benz for this week’s Gerger Construction Fantasy Sports Podcast.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via X. All tweets may be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless otherwise noted.