First Call: Predicted landing spot for JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency; Antonio Brown flips on Tom Brady again

Wednesday’s “First Call” features a possible free agent landing spot for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Ray-Ray McCloud is angling for a new contract to stay in Pittsburgh. Antonio Brown is back to sniping at Tom Brady. Jarvis Landry is getting itchy in Cleveland.

And a local college hockey team is preparing for a little program history.

How would this go over?

Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is about to become a free agent for the second year in a row. Pro Football Focus is predicting a destination that will no doubt anger Steelers fans.

PFF is suggesting that Smith-Schuster is going to wind up with the New England Patriots on a one-year deal worth $8 million ($6.25 million guaranteed).

According to PFF’s Arjun Menon, “Smith-Schuster turned down a multi-year deal with the Chiefs last offseason then proceeded to get injured early in the 2021 season. Thus, it’ll probably be tough for him to get a multi-year deal on the market for the value he wants. He’s still only 25 years old and has logged five years in the league, so he will still be an attractive option for WR needy teams.

One of those teams should be the Patriots, who need to get Mac Jones more weapons. Smith-Schuster can serve as a reliable receiver out of the slot for New England.”

Pro Football Focus has Smith-Schuster rated as the 42nd free agent among the top 50 available. He is the eighth wide receiver on their board.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has praised Smith-Schuster in the past. That may come in handy seeing as how Smith-Schuster caught just 15 balls in five games last year prior to a shoulder injury that sidelined him until the playoffs.

Ray-Ray wants to stay-stay

Smith-Schuster isn’t the only Steelers wide receiver who is a free agent. James Washington is, too. As is kick returner and slot man Ray-Ray McCloud. And he is making a bid to stay in Pittsburgh.

The wide receiver and kick-returner claims he doesn’t want to play anywhere else.

“The Steelers just treated me like family the day I walked through the door,” McCloud told the NFL Network. “Then again, I know it is a business. But I don’t want to play for anybody else besides coach (Mike) Tomlin.”

McCloud previously played with the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers.

“I’m just focused on what I can control. It’s a pivotal offseason for me. It’s getting back healthy. Recovering from any lingering injuries from the season. Hopefully I’m with Steelers Nation. But I know it is a business and be ready for who calls me next,” McCloud said.

McCloud was sixth in the NFL in punt return average at 9.66 yards in 2021. He set career highs with 39 catches and 277 yards. McCloud says he has been working a lot on route running and top end speed while working out at UCLA during the offseason.

Antonio Brown bashes Tom Brady

Since former Steelers receiver Antonio Brown stormed off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sideline in Week 17, he has bounced back and forth between praising quarterback Tom Brady and criticizing him.

He’s back to criticizing him now.

Brown posted an X-Ray of his banged up ankle on Instagram on Monday and blamed Brady and the Bucs for the state of his injury.

”They tried to hurt me intentionally @buccaneers…Sent me out there after knowing I was still hurt..Tom said he would throw it if I came to play hurt I came..He didn’t throw it imagine being hurt having to play through this and being lied too [sic]..Coach said if I couldn’t run on this get the (expletive) out of here…(Expletive) all you MF…Still caint [sic] stop me @nfl,” Brown said in the post, which has since been deleted.

Brown was targeted five times in that first half against the New York Jets before storming off the field. So it’s not like Brady was actually ignoring him during the game, despite Mr. Big Chest’s account.

Since we brought it up

On the topic of unhappy wide receivers, Jarvis Landry doesn’t exactly seem thrilled with the Cleveland Browns.

On Tuesday morning, Landry brought up his future with the franchise. He’s entering the final year of his contract there and has a base salary of $14.3 million.

With a cap hit like that, the Browns may be inclined to cut Landry or ask him to take a reduced salary.

Landry insists that he has told the Browns that he would like to stay in Cleveland. It’s his position that the front office now has to decide if it’ll keep him around or let him walk.

“I have put the ball in CLE court by telling them I would like to stay but if not then I’m confident enough in myself to be a better healthy me this year and moving forward to helping do my part in winning a championship elsewhere,” Landry tweeted.

Jarvis Landry sounds off about playing through multiple injuries this season and his future with Cleveland pic.twitter.com/KBKfoyuSrq

— PFF (@PFF) February 22, 2022

I GAVE EVERYTHING!!!! EVERYTHING

— Jarvis Juice Landry (@God_Son80) February 22, 2022

Landry is now 29 years old. He is coming off of a down season in which he only caught 52 passes in 12 games due to injuries and totaled just 570 receiving yards.

First time at the frozen pond

The Chatham men’s hockey team will hit a milestone Wednesday night.

For the first time in program history, the Cougars will be hosting a home playoff game. Nazareth College is the opponent this Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Frozen Pond Arena in Valencia.

It’s a quarterfinal game in the UCHC playoffs. Chatham is the fourth seed, Nazareth is fifth.

The Cougars are 8-8-2 in conference play, 9-12-2 overall. That’s the most wins in program history for a second year in a row under head coach Mike Gershon. He was an assistant on Robert Morris’ staff before taking over the Cougars program in advance of the 2020-21 campaign.

ICYMI: How it started how it ended @Chatham_MIH swept King's to conclude the regular season, thanks to the opening score by Tristan Simm and the final score by Matt Doyle ( by King's)

Full highlights: https://t.co/FGXrHN52Uy pic.twitter.com/Gp8VgcGVH0

— Chatham Athletics (@ChathamCougar) February 20, 2022

Chatham’s women’s team went 15-10 this season (12-8 UCHC). They are the fifth seed in their tournament and will visit Maryland to play Stevenson Wednesday at 3 p.m.