First Call: Ravens GM praises former player who joined Steelers; an Arthur Smith favorite hits free agency

Wednesday’s “First Call” checks in on a popular name among Steelers fans as free agency approaches. A player Arthur Smith had in Atlanta and Tennessee has been cut loose.

The Ravens’ general manager may have a franchise tag target. He is also praising a former player who has been scooped up by the Steelers.

And it’s a noteworthy night for both of Duquesne’s basketball teams.

The need for Sneed

A lot of Steelers fans have been targeting L’Jarius Sneed on their free agent wish lists.

I concur. I think the 27-year-old Kansas City cornerback would make a great pair with Joey Porter Jr. Of course, he’ll probably be too expensive for the Steelers’ blood. But dare to dream.

Perhaps the Steelers could work out a trade-and-sign deal. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Kansas City has told Sneed that if the organization can’t sign him to a contract extension, they’ll franchise tag him and try to work out a trade.

#Chiefs have informed L'Jarius Sneed they are prepared to use the franchise tag and are open to consummate a trade off it if no long-term deal is reached, per source.

Sneed is agreeable to the scenario, giving him chance to talk with other teams while K.C. remains in play pic.twitter.com/JayTzcAW0Y

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 27, 2024

The cornerback franchise tag hit is just over $19 million. So, if any team trades for Sneed, they must have the cap space to take on that tag number before they pound out the new contract. All teams must be compliant when free agency opens on March 13. The deadline to tag a player is March 5.

Moon shining bright

The Steelers picked up former Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon via waivers last month. According to SteelersNow.com (citing the NFLPA Salary Report), the Steelers have signed Moon to a one-year, $915,000 contract.

At the NFL Combine, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta was asked about Moon.

“Jeremiah’s a very hard-charging guy,” DeCosta said via video on the team’s website. “Good on special teams. I think he’s a developmental outside ‘backer. Strong and physical. Great attitude. I think he’s going to have a great career, definitely.”

Moon was claimed after Baltimore activated tight end Mark Andrews off of injured reserve during the postseason.

The 25-year-old is 6-foot-5 and weighs 250 pounds. He could provide some more depth with Markus Golden and Nick Herbig behind Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt.

Moon got on the field for eight games in Baltimore. The former Florida Gator totaled 12 tackles, one for loss and two forced fumbles. During 2023, he played 99 defensive snaps, plus 142 more on special teams.

More from Maryland

DeCosta had some other interesting nuggets about his defending AFC North champs.

• There are plenty of rumors about the Ravens potentially trying to sign star free-agent running back Derrick Henry. However, DeCosta said the door is not closed on their own free-agent running backs, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Edwards led Baltimore’s running backs with a career-high 810 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“We’re still talking to Gus. We’ll talk to J.K. — a couple of free agents that we had,” DeCosta said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

“We’re hopeful that we can get something done with those guys.”

Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell (who ended the season with a knee injury) are the only two running backs under contract who played in 2023 for Baltimore.

• Even though the team extended wide receiver Nelson Agohlor, DeCosta insisted that doesn’t mean Odell Beckham Jr. is out in Baltimore.

“I love Odell,” DeCosta said. “He’s become a great friend of mine and a friend to the Ravens, and I think we’ll just kind of assess and see what happens over the next couple of weeks.”

• DeCosta also said the organization will place the franchise tag on Justin Madubuike if a long-term deal isn’t reached before that March 5 deadline. The pending free-agent defensive tackle made the Pro Bowl this year and was second-team All-Pro after accumulating 13 sacks.

Via Ravens.com, the franchise tag would cost the Ravens $22.1 million against the salary cap. The club only has $16.6 million in salary cap space.

Does Smith want Smith … again?

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Atlanta Falcons are releasing tight end Jonnu Smith.

Falcons are releasing veteran tight end Jonnu Smith, per source.

Smith caught 50 passes for 532 yards and three touchdowns last season. pic.twitter.com/gMRSE6jCKi

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2024

Smith’s 50 targets and 582 yards were career highs in 2023 while he was a player under head coach Arthur Smith.

After the season ended, Arthur Smith was fired in Atlanta and hired by the Steelers as their new head coach. Jonnu Smith had high praise for his former coach.

“He’d be there for anybody,” the tight end said last month after the firing. “He’d bend over backward for the people he loves. Unfortunately, in this league, that’s not always returned.”

Arthur Smith also coached Jonnu with the Titans when the two men overlapped in Tennessee. So might one Smith bring the other to Pittsburgh as well?

Perhaps. Pat Freiermuth is under contract for one more year, presumably as the starter. I suppose Smith’s potential of landing on Pittsburgh’s tight-end depth chart depends on what the new OC thinks of Darnell Washington as a pure blocker and/or Connor Heyward as a jack-of-all-trades.

Rodney Williams was also a valuable special teams player the last 12 weeks of the year.

Big night on the Bluff

Both Duquesne basketball teams are in action Wednesday night. And there are particularly high stakes for the women.

Dan Burt’s team is on the road at Richmond. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. The Dukes are 18-9 overall and 13-3 in Atlantic 10 play. That’s a game back of Richmond (24-5, 14-2) for first place in the conference. The Spiders are tied with Saint Joseph’s for first place atop the A-10.

Duquesne won the first meeting between the clubs at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (72-59) on Jan. 24.

As for the men, they host La Salle at 7 p.m. Keith Dambrot’s Dukes (16-11, 6-8) have won five of their last six home games. The Explorers (14-14, 5-10) are hot, having won three in a row.

These clubs split two games last season. Duquesne won the regular-season contest in Philadelphia 91-74. The Explorers got revenge, 81-70, in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.