First Call: Steelers work out Maulers QB; ex-Steeler suffers long-term foot injury; Josh Bell traded with Juan Soto

The Steelers may have an interest in a former Pittsburgh Mauler. An ex-Steeler suffers a significant injury setback in Dallas. Another one is heading to Arizona. Ex-Pirate Josh Bell was traded. And a former Robert Morris hockey player is on the move.

All that in Tuesday’s “First Call.”

Pittsburgh(ish) connection

The Steelers worked out Pittsburgh Maulers quarterback Vad Lee, along with three other players. That’s according to Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network.

One of them signed. That was Notre Dame receiver Javon McKinley. With Chase Claypool injured and Diontae Johnson refusing to work in team drills because of his contractual status, McKinley can be an extra body at wide receiver.

As for Lee, he began his college career at Georgia Tech before opening some eyes at James Madison. He has never played for an NFL team, but the 29-year-old was part of the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the TSL’s Aviators and Alphas, the Your Call Football League and the USFL.

In the Birmingham bubble with the Maulers, Lee completed 55% of his passes for the Maulers to go along with six touchdowns and six interceptions, leading Pittsburgh to its lone win of the season.

Lee played for head coach Kirby Wilson with the Maulers. He’s a former Mike Tomlin assistant. So perhaps that’s a connection worth remembering.

The other two players were wide receivers Juwan Green and D.J. Montgomery. Green has spent time with the Lions, Falcons and Titans. Montgomery began his career with the Cleveland Browns and was most recently with the New York Jets.

Coward a Cardinal

Wilson also notes that veteran offensive lineman Rashaad Coward is expected to sign with the Arizona Cardinals.

Coward was a Steeler last year. He appeared in four games but didn’t start any. The previous three seasons, Coward was a Chicago Bear.

One of Coward’s jobs in Arizona will be to block for another former Steeler, running back James Conner. After making the Pro Bowl in 2021, his first season with the Cardinals, Conner signed a $21 million contract extension.

Related

• Steelers linebacker speaks cautiously, but he's clearly not a fan of NFL's protective Guardian Caps
• Tim Benz: Good luck to what remains of Pirates roster after trade deadline passes

Washington’s misfortune

Much like Conner, former Steeler James Washington left Pittsburgh after 2021 in hopes of finding better luck for his career on his second contract.

So far, though, he hasn’t found it. The wide receiver signed with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. On Monday, he broke a bone in his right foot and had to be carted off the practice field. The Fort Worth-Star Telegram reports that Washington could be out for up to 10 weeks.

The injury occurred when Washington and cornerback Travon Diggs went up for a ball and Diggs landed on Washington’s foot. Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones confirmed the injury.

The Telegram says that former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant had the injury a few years ago and missed six weeks. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had surgery last year and missed 10 weeks with the same injury.

Washington was signed in hopes of offsetting the losses of Amari Cooper (trade to the Cleveland Browns) and Cedrick Wilson (signed with Miami Dolphins).

Trade ‘Bell’ rings

Josh Bell’s time with the Washington Nationals is over. The former Pirates first baseman has been traded to the San Diego Padres as part of a huge deal that also included Nationals star Juan Soto.

In exchange, the Nats get shortstop CJ Abrams and starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore. They also receive two of San Diego’s promising outfielders in Robert Hassell III and James Wood. Right-handed pitcher Jarlin Susana is heading to Washington as well. First baseman Eric Hosmer is reportedly part of the deal, too — if the teams can work around his no-trade clause.

Eric Hosmer has been notified he’s in the agreed-upon deal. He has a no-trade and hasn’t consented yet. Belief is they will figure this out however, one way or another.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 2, 2022

Soto was the most coveted trade chip in Major League Baseball heading into Tuesday’s trade deadline. In five MLB seasons, Soto has hit .291/.427/.538 with 119 homers. He recently rejected a 15-year, $440 million extension offer from the Nationals. It would have been the biggest contract in MLB history by total money.

Bell had been the target of trade speculation much of this year. The 2019 All-Star is hitting .301 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs for the Nationals. They are in last place of the National League East. The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros were said to be interested in Bell too.

Royal welcome

Robert Morris alum Justin Kapelmaster has a new team. The class of 2020 goaltender signed a deal with the Reading Royals of the ECHL.

Kapelmaster, 26, has 14-18-3 record with a .908 save percentage in his ECHL career. The native of Coral Springs, Fla., won two starts for the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL in 2020-21.

After posting 29 college victories between RMU and Ferris State, Kapelmaster is now on his sixth stop in the ECHL. He has previously played with Fort Wayne, Allen, Worcester, Jacksonville and Indianapolis.

The goalie is one of 10 Colonials to sign with new teams this year.