First Call: Browns make a 2nd trade before facing Steelers; another ex-Pirate starts in MLB playoffs

The Cleveland Browns continue to tweak their roster in advance of their visit to Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Penguins are going to be part of a spotlight moment Thursday night.

Another former Pirate is about to take the mound in a Major League Baseball playoff game. And there is an interesting stat attached to the officiating crew for Sunday’s Steelers-Browns game.

All that in Thursday’s “First Call.”

More movement

The Browns made another trade in advance of Sunday’s game against the Steelers. After shipping quarterback Joe Flacco to Cincinnati earlier this week, the Browns dealt cornerback Greg Newsome II and a sixth-round pick to the Jaguars in exchange for cornerback Tyson Campbell and a seventh-round pick.

Contract terms and length may be at the heart of the deal. Campbell is in the first year of a four-year contract. He is 25 years old. Meanwhile, Newsome, who is also 25, hits free agency after the season when his fifth-year option expires.

Via BrownsWire, “the majority of Campbell’s 2026 salary is also in the form of already paid-out bonuses, so the Browns will be on the hook for just $3 million of his salary next year as well.”

Newsome was the Browns’ DB who got into a scuffle with George Pickens at the end of Cleveland’s win over Pittsburgh in the snow during a game last year. He later referred to Pickens as a “fake tough guy.”

Newsome had three interceptions, one sack, 155 tackles and 34 passes defended over four years in Cleveland.

Speaking of cornerbacks, the NFL Network is reporting that former Steeler Arthur Maulet is signing a deal with the Detroit Lions.

Ref report

The officials are known for Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Browns. Ron Torbert and his crew will work the game at Acrisure Stadium, according to FootballZebras.com.

Torbert is a two-time Super Bowl referee, having led the crew in Super Bowls LIX and LVI. Much like the Steelers, Torbert’s crew is coming off a bye last week.

Even though Torbert’s crew has worked only four games so far, they have still thrown 94 total flags. That’s the fourth most in all of the NFL, and the most of any crew that has worked a maximum of four games, as chronicled at NFLPenalties.com.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, it doesn’t appear Torbert and company are swayed by the home crowd. In fact, it may be the opposite. Those officials have penalized the home team 45 times, as opposed to just 27 accepted penalties for the visiting clubs.

That amount of home penalties is the second-highest of any crew in the NFL.

More sports

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• Short passing game that has worked for Steelers will be tested by Browns defense
• Jaylen Warren full participant, Alex Highsmith partial, Jalen Ramsey out at Steelers practice

Clear-cut winner

Jameson Taillon won the battle of former Pirates in the National League playoffs on Wednesday.

Taillon gave up two earned runs in four innings for the Chicago Cubs as they beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3, in Game 3 of their NLDS series. Drew Pomeranz came on in the fifth for Tallon, pitched an inning and got the win.

Meanwhile, ex-Bucs starter Quinn Priester couldn’t even survive the first inning for Milwaukee. He lasted just ⅔ of an inning, was tagged for all four earned runs on three hits, two walks, and he allowed a homer to leadoff hitter Michael Busch.

Michael Busch. Tie game. pic.twitter.com/ODilCz67DI

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 8, 2025

The Cubs will look to tie that series at two games apiece at 9:08 p.m. Thursday.

In other MLB results, the Detroit Tigers evened their series at 2-2 with the Seattle Mariners after a 9-3 win. Toronto eliminated New York, 3-1, thanks to a 5-2 win in the Bronx, and Philadelphia stayed alive against the Los Angeles Dodgers with an 8-2 victory in L.A.

Kyle Schwarber homered twice in that contest for the Phillies, who trail the series 2-1. Game 4 is at 6 p.m. Thursday. Another former Pirate, Tyler Glasnow, will pitch for the Dodgers. Christopher Sanchez is on the mound for Philadelphia.

Eyes on Islanders

A big debut will take place at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night. The NHL’s No. 1 overall pick from June’s draft, Matthew Schaefer, will skate in his first game for the New York Islanders.

They are in town to play the Penguins at 7 p.m.

#Isles GM Mathieu Darche says No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer has "completely earned spot on the roster and in the lineup." Confirms Schaefer will make his NHL debut in season opener, Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 6, 2025

The 6-foot-2 defenseman will make his home debut Saturday versus Washington. That means Schaefer will be making his first two NHL appearances against Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.

Matthew Schaefer faces Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin in his first two NHL games. He gets Crosby Thursday in Pittsburgh. He said it's a challenge, but the 18-year old #Isles defenseman says he won't be star struck. @TimBenzPGH @rdel76 @islessignguy @UKisles20 pic.twitter.com/Kpx3yrf8JL

— Kevin Maher (@KMaherNews12) October 7, 2025

Schaefer played in Erie with the Otters last year. He only skated in 17 games before suffering a broken clavicle while playing for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

LISTEN: Tim Benz and Cleveland Browns PxP voice Andrew Siciliano preview Sunday’s Steelers-Browns game at Acrisure Stadium.