Thursday’s “First Call” has a new home for a former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end. We also have a reward for a former Penguins great, news on the Steelers’ opposing QB for Week 1, and some Pirates trade speculation.

New home in New Orleans

Former Steelers tight end Jesse James has a new home. It’s in New Orleans.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Saints have signed the Penn State product to a contract. Since leaving Pittsburgh after the 2018 season, James has played for the Lions, Bears and Browns.

Over parts of eight NFL campaigns, the South Allegheny graduate has 157 catches for 1522 yards and 12 touchdowns. But he is most remembered for one TD that didn’t count.

The video is an explanation from @NFL SVP of Officiating Al Riveron on the reversal at the end of the #NEvsPIT game. pic.twitter.com/hm5EeoZTER

— NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) December 18, 2017

No word yet if Al Riveron has checked in to overrule the signing and make James a free agent again.

Rewarding Ron

Ron Francis is being rewarded for his sharp work with the Seattle Kraken. The former Penguins great just got an extension to continue as general manager of the team. Francis’ contract has been extended through the 2026-27 season.

The Pro Hockey Hall of Famer was hired in Seattle in July 2019, two years before the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. In just the franchise’s second year of existence, Francis built a roster good enough to earn 100 points and get to Game 7 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Dallas Stars.

Francis’ AHL squad, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, are also currently playing in the Western Conference final. His assistant GM Jason Botterill is reportedly a candidate for the Penguins GM vacancy.

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A watchful eye

For Steelers fans who are already in regular-season mode, keep an eye on that San Francisco 49ers quarterback situation. All indications are at this point that it will be Trey Lance.

The former first-round pick has been taking all the first-team reps at OTAs, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Right now his main competition is journeyman QB Sam Darnold.

All this is because last year’s out-of-nowhere hero, Brock Purdy, is recovering from UCL surgery in his elbow. The Niners aren’t ruling him out as an option for Week 1 yet.

Lance served as the backup quarterback behind Jimmy Garoppolo in the 2021 campaign before taking over as the team’s starter last fall. However, his season was cut short when he suffered an ankle injury against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 18.

Bednar on the block?

Pirates closer David Bednar finally got a save Wednesday. It was his 10th of the season and his first in over a month.

So naturally the conversation has turned to: When will the Pirates trade him?

In his June power rankings, in The Athletic, former MLB GM Jim Bowden has the Pirates (28-27) 22nd of 30 MLB teams. What really hurts is that the Cleveland Guardians are 21st at 24-30, and the team right behind Pittsburgh is Detroit. The 23rd ranked Tigers are 26-28.

Here is Bowden’s explanation.

“The Pirates had an exciting start to the season, racing out to an NL-best 20-9 record before coming back to earth in May. Mitch Keller has been their brightest star, breaking out with a 6-1 record and a 3.01 ERA in 11 starts,” Bowden says. “David Bednar has been excellent in the closer role, converting 10 of 11 save opportunities and logging a 1.29 ERA. Bryan Reynolds is living up to his new contract with seven home runs and 33 RBIs and Andrew McCutchen has delivered in his return to Pittsburgh, contributing eight home runs, 20 RBIs and a .359 on-base percentage.”

And he is apparently anticipating the Pirates being active sellers at the deadline.

“The Pirates will have veteran bats to offer at the deadline, including McCutchen, Carlos Santana and Connor Joe. They also might listen to offers on Bednar if someone wants to overpay with the right prospect,” Bowden wrote.

Joe and Santana? I can certainly see that. Maybe Bednar, too, for the right asking price. But not McCutchen. There would be too much of a revolt if that were to happen.

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