First Call: 49ers reveal QB depth chart for opener vs. Steelers; new ACC expansion talk; will McCutchen hit 300th vs. Cubs?

Thursday’s “First Call” gets the full breakdown of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback depth chart as they prepare for the regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We also have the network broadcast team for that game, and a little Steelers-Niners history from an opening-day perspective.

Plus, we examine the latest ACC foray in conference expansion, and Andrew McCutchen’s chances of hitting career homer No. 300 this weekend against the Chicago Cubs.

Here we go again

It turns out ACC expansion may not be a dead story after all.

Two weeks ago, conversations about adding the likes of orphaned Pac-12 schools Stanford and Cal stalled over revenue distribution via the addition of new members to the conference.

But now, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, talks are on again, and this time Southern Methodist is also involved.

The ACC continues to seriously discuss the additions of Stanford, Cal and SMU, sources tell @YahooSports.

New financial models - based on SMU taking no share & Stanford/Cal taking a partial share - are circulating around league administrators, as ESPN reported earlier.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 23, 2023

So dust off those 1983 Cotton Bowl programs from the infamous 7-3 loss by Dan Marino and Pitt to Eric Dickerson and SMU. That historic rivalry is back, baby!

I imagine the Boston College versus Stanford field hockey, and Cal vs. Syracuse lacrosse rivalries are equally steeped in tradition.

Trey is three

Once a coveted draft prospect and a 2022 opening day starter for the San Francisco 49ers, Trey Lance is now a third-stringer.

At least that’s how he’ll begin the year when the Niners come to Pittsburgh to open the season at Acrisure Stadium on Sept. 10. Despite an offseason surgery on his elbow, the team has frequently insisted that Brock Purdy would continue to be the starter after last year’s out-of-nowhere ascent to the playoffs and the top of the depth chart.

Sam Darnold was acquired during the offseason after he ended 2022 with the Carolina Panthers. Now he has won the battle over Lance to be second string behind Purdy. Head coach Kyle Shanahan made that announcement Wednesday.

Shanahan: "We gave (Lance) a big chance to win that 2-spot this year... it was a very tough fight, but in the long run, Sam ended up winning it."

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 24, 2023

Shanahan says he still plans to play Lance (after Darnold) in the preseason finale on Friday versus the Los Angeles Chargers. After their second game, Shanahan said that Purdy and the starters should plan to see some action as well.

It is possible the Niners trade Lance between now and the start of the season. If that happens, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, “he will have played in eight games with the team. That would mean he played the fewest games by a top-5 pick for the franchise he debuted with in the common draft era (1967).”

Shanahan ended up excusing Lance from practice Wednesday after he got the news.

More sports

• 5 things to watch for in Steelers preseason finale at Falcons
• U mad, bro?: Steelers preseason hype, RB1 debates, SMU in the ACC and lanternflies
• Pumped-up Steelers optimism not yet impacting gambling lines

On the call

“Moose” is coming back to Pittsburgh. No, not Johan Hedberg.

Daryl “Moose” Johnston. He is going to be part of the Fox broadcast crew for that Week 1 game between the Steelers and 49ers. According to SteelersNow.com, Joe Davis will do the play-by-play and Pam Oliver will be on the sideline.

The last time San Francisco came to Pittsburgh to open a season, the Steelers were still playing at Three Rivers Stadium. It was 1993, Bill Cowher’s second season as head coach. Steve Young was the quarterback of the Niners that year. That afternoon, he hit Jerry Rice for two touchdowns and tight end Brent Jones for one more.

San Francisco won that game 24-13. They went on to win the NFC West at 10-6 before falling to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. The Steelers ended the year with a wild-card-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after going 9-7.

Here come the Cubs

The Pirates begin a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. The Cubbies come to PNC Park playing well of late, taking four of their past five from the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers.

Chicago is 66-60, in second place of the National League Central. They are 3½ games back of the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who have won five in a row.

The Cubs are also currently in the NL’s second wild-card slot, tied with the Cincinnati Reds and 2½ back of the Philadelphia Phillies who are in the top wild-card position.

Andrew McCutchen is searching for career home run No. 299. He has 28 long balls against the Cubs in his career. Only Milwaukee (37) and Cincinnati (34) have yielded more home runs to him than the Cubs have.

In three games against the Cubs this season, McCutchen is 3 for 9 with four walks and one homer — a leadoff shot against Drew Smyly on June 14. Smyly is slated to pitch Sunday.