Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett reveals an interesting detail about his expanding responsibilities. A pair of former Steelers are heading to new franchises. An ex-Penguin is looking to make a comeback.

And a sports television host makes a regrettable mistake about Dwayne Haskins.

All that in Wednesday’s “First Call.”

Being in charge

Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett addressed the media after practice on Tuesday. When asked about some of the offense’s recent success in the red zone during practices, Pickett brought up his expanded ability to make pre-snap reads and adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

“I’d just say recognition pre-snap, understanding my answers and what I have available to me, being able to signal certain things and change stuff at the line. Just doing a lot more than I did last year. I feel really comfortable with the system and I’m getting towards that ownership aspect which I’ve been pushing for,” Pickett said.

That’s a significant development, given what tight end Pat Freiermuth had to say when he was on an episode of Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast a few months ago.

“We didn’t have hots,” Freiermuth told Roethlisberger of the 2022 offense. “With you, how many times did we have a concept and you looked (at Diontae Johnson) and gave a signal and it’d be a 12-yard completion? We didn’t have that this year.”

Pickett has previously said audibling was available last year. But he has more control and feels more comfortable doing it in year two.

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How does that happen?

It was clearly an accidental oversight. But a cringeworthy error nonetheless.

On Tuesday’s “The Herd,” FS1 host Colin Cowherd was doing a list of quarterback tiers, attempting to determine which ones, drafted since 2013, were capable of winning a Super Bowl and which ones were not. In his grouping of 20 quarterbacks who couldn’t, somehow Dwayne Haskins’ name appeared on the list.

The former Pittsburgh Steeler and Washington Commander died 16 months ago in Florida when he was hit by a dump truck after his car had run out of gas.

Oddly, Cowherd was thrown when he noticed a different error on the graphic, but that seemed to distract him from realizing the Haskins mishap.

On today's show, Colin Cowherd mentioned Dwayne Haskins as one of the QBs who cannot win a Super Bowl.

This is factually correct, given that Haskins passed away 16 months ago. pic.twitter.com/L1PvtPLyY6

— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) August 8, 2023

A later replay of the segment edited out the flub.

Where did they go?

A pair of former Steelers are heading to new places.

The first of which is tackle Rashaad Coward. He is signing with the Houston Texans. That is according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson in Houston.

#Texans are signing veteran offensive tackle-guard Rashaad Coward (6-5, 319), previously with #Cardinals #Steelers and #Bears, per a league source. Has played in 38 career games with 18 starts @KPRC2

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 8, 2023

Coward signed a one-year contract with the Steelers during the 2021 offseason. He was released in October of that year and signed in Jacksonville before returning to Pittsburgh a few weeks later. The offensive lineman then inked a reserve/future contract with the Atlanta Falcons in January 2022.

The other player is former Steelers kicker Matthew Wright. He’s now a Carolina Panther thanks to a groin injury for current kicker Eddy Piñeiro.

#Panthers signed kicker Matthew Wright, since Eddy Piñeiro is managing a recent groin injury.https://t.co/pIum5RBrM5

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 8, 2023

Wright has twice filled in for an injured Chris Boswell in Pittsburgh, once in 2020 and then again in 2022. And he has been good.

The 27-year-old native of Lancaster went 6 for 7 (long of 52 yards) on field goal attempts over seven games in Black and Gold. That goes along with 14 for 14 on extra points.

Wright has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs. Between PATs and field goals, he has totaled 46 made kicks and just five misses.

Another skate for Sutter?

Brandon Sutter is apparently trying to make an NHL comeback.

The former Penguin is getting a tryout with the Edmonton Oilers. That’s according to Oilers color commentator Bob Stauffer.

Down in Red Deer for the Battle of Alberta Golf Tournament for the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre

Hearing that Brandon Sutter, 34, 6’3” right shot center…who hasn’t played the last couple of seasons…Will be coming to @EdmontonOilers Training Camp on a PTO

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) August 9, 2023

Sutter is now 34. He last played in Vancouver during the 2020-21 season, posting 12 points in 43 games.

The 6-foot-3 center came to Pittsburgh from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the Jordan Staal trade in 2012. He was then moved to Vancouver in the Nick Bonino deal in July 2015.

Sutter did sign a one-year agreement to remain with the Canucks in 2021-22, but never played thanks to the effects of long covid.

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