Thursday’s “First Call” looks at the Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle position, even though head coach Mike Tomlin is trying to make it a non-story.

An NFL signing of note may have some ramifications for a Steelers player next year. A former Steeler is getting a boost for his Hall of Fame candidacy.

And we’ve got a hockey item about an ex-Penguins goalie.

‘Moore’ to the story

To say Mike Tomlin was noncommittal about his left tackle position battle Wednesday would be inaccurate.

He was blissfully unaware that one even existed.

Or so he would have us believe.

When Tomlin was asked if Dan Moore Jr. would take first team reps when the club hits the practice field for the first time Thursday, Tomlin said, “I haven’t thought about it, but I would assume so, yes.”

Haven’t thought about it? After drafting a tackle in the first round out of an SEC powerhouse like Georgia. No way!

After the Steelers traded up in the first round to select him, Broderick Jones better get a look to start. Otherwise, why did the franchise draft him?

If Moore beats him out fair and square, so be it. But for us to believe that Tomlin isn’t even considering Jones as a viable alternative is silly.

Setting the bar?

The Chicago Bears have signed tight end Cole Kmet to a new contract. It’s a four-year, $50 million deal. According to ESPN, it also includes $32.8 million guaranteed and $20 million in new first-year cash.

Why is that pertinent to Steelers fans? Well, it might be a barometer for Pat Freiermuth’s contract extension after 2023. Kmet just went through his third season. Freiermuth is about to enter his third year.

Both are second-round picks, one year apart. Over the past two seasons, Kmet has 110 catches and 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns. Freiermuth is at 123 catches, 1,129 yards and nine touchdowns over 2021 and 2022.

So Kmet’s $12.5 million average annual value is probably going to serve as a starting point for Freiermuth’s negotiations next year, unless he takes a significant step back or has injury issues in 2023.

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Making a case

Former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is making a pitch for Art Rooney Jr. to get into the Hall of Fame.

Rooney Jr. took over as the team’s personnel director in 1965. He stayed in that capacity until 1986. He has been listed as a vice president of the team since then, giving him six Super Bowl Rings.

As head of the scouting department, Rooney Jr. and company drafted nine Hall of Famers that ended up winning four Super Bowl trophies.

“Art didn’t have a big staff when he put those ’70s teams together,” Colbert told Steelers Takeaways. “He’d hire high school coaches as part-time scouts to fill in scouting duties — to grade film and things like that. … Art put together the greatest draft class (1974) in NFL history — that’s why he should be in the Hall of Fame.”

Rooney Jr. is a semifinalist for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in the contributor category.

Move for Murray

Former Penguins goalie Matt Murray has been placed on long term injured reserve in Toronto. That could end his time with the Maple Leafs.

The 29-year-old netminder is entering the last year of his contract. It would’ve counted $4.7 million against the cap in 2023-24. But now the Leafs can stash that.

Murray racked up 26 appearances because of various injuries before an April concussion ended his season. He allowed 3.01 goals per game and had a .903 save percentage.

Ilya Samsonov took over as the Toronto goalie after Murray went down. He just got a $3.55 million salary for next season in arbitration. Twenty-five-year-old Joseph Woll is the likely backup.

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