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» » First Call: Jets release Le'Veon Bell. Could he rejoin the Steelers? One national outlet makes a case. - TribLIVE

First Call: Jets release Le'Veon Bell. Could he rejoin the Steelers? One national outlet makes a case. - TribLIVE

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Wednesday’s “First Call” gives you the wide range of reactions to Le’Veon Bell’s release from the New York Jets.

Who might sign him? The Steelers? The Patriots?

We look at the latest chapter in the Pirates’ quest to help the Tampa Bay Rays win the American League Championship Series, a strange explanation of Vince Williams’ penalty Sunday, and a potential stumbling block for Patrick Marleau’s quest at history.

We’ve been there

As Pirates fans here in Pittsburgh, we all know that emotion of “if you don’t laugh, you are gonna cry.”

New York Jets fans are exactly the same way. Especially after the franchise released former Steelers star Le’Veon Bell.

This is going to make for an ultimate rap dis track from Le’V, isn’t it? For now, though, he’s playing it cool.

The organization was reportedly trying to trade Bell but couldn’t find any willing partners.

Jets fans found that the only way to cope was with bemused disgust. Head coach Adam Gase is taking most of the heat for the perception that he pushed Bell out the door without ever properly figuring out how to use him.

According to Spotrac, “Le’Veon Bell’s release leaves behind $15M of dead cap money in 2020 and another $4 million in 2021 to the Jets.” Bell earned $28M in barely over a year’s worth of action in New York, averaging a piddly 3.3 yards per carry.

And you thought those two naked women in his room stole a lot from him?

Gee, I wonder who might sign him?

Actually, here’s my ultimate conspiracy theory. The Steelers re-sign Bell with the intention of having him suit up after the Browns game. Bell goes jet skiing again in Florida. He joins the team next Monday. Infects the whole locker room with covid-19. And the Steelers have to forfeit in Week 7.

To the Tennessee Titans.

And we have come full circle.

Don’t laugh too hard. CBS Sports projected Pittsburgh as the most likely landing spot for Bell. Meanwhile, after the release, former Steeler Bryant McFadden said on that platform “I want to say Pittsburgh” as a potential landing spot. But then he talked himself out of it and suggested the Los Angeles Chargers.

Let that wash over you for a minute.

Gotta do better than that

Former NFL official and CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore joined WDVE and offered this explanation of the questionable penalty against Vince Williams Sunday.

He was busted for a very shaky roughing the passer call against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sorry, Gene. I’m not buying that.

I get where Steratore is coming from with that explanation. But players shouldn’t have to “help” the refs make a proper call. They’ve got their own jobs to worry about.

The officials need to do their jobs better.

Marleau’s mark

Former Penguin Patrick Marleau has gone back to the San Jose Sharks in free agency.

This will be his third stint with the Sharks, along with a stop in Toronto and his eight regular season games in Pittsburgh.

He also played in all four games of the Pens’ qualifying series loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference bubble.

But 1,551 of his 1,723 career games were with San Jose.

Marleau is 45 games short of surpassing Hockey Hall of Fame forward Gordie Howe’s career record of 1,767 games played.

The question is, because of coronavirus, with the NHL schedule being as uncertain as it is, will the regular season be long enough for Marleau to squeeze in enough games to set the record this year?

Especially if he should get injured at some point.

The lockout-shortened 2013 season lasted 48 games.

Take a wild guess

Pittsburgh baseball fans can continue to track the Tampa Bay Rays with a perverse sense of curiosity and jealousy.

Having acquired the likes of former Pirates Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and Charlie Morton, the Rays have almost become Pittsburgh’s adopted team for the postseason, largely out of a macabre fascination of what could’ve been had those players stayed in town.

Morton won Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. Glasnow pitches Wednesday night in Game 4. The Rays currently have a 3-0 lead in the best of seven, and can complete the sweep Wednesday.

ESPN.com put together a list of 35 trades made by the four remaining teams in the two championship series that made the clubs into what they are.

Take a stab at what was No.1. That’s right. The Pirates get Chris Archer from Tampa for Glasnow, Meadows and Shane Baz.

As ESPN’s Sam Miller points out, “Meadows finished 14th in MVP voting in his first full year (2019) as a Ray, and Glasnow is the ace the Rays called upon (on two days rest) last week in a deciding Game 5 against the Yankees. If this had been a full season, Glasnow’s strikeout rate — 14.3 per nine — could have set the all-time record for a starter.”

Meanwhile, Baz is still looked upon as having a high ceiling.

Archer spent his first two years as a Pirate going 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA. He didn’t pitch at all in 2020 due to injury.

So that worked out great for the Pirates, huh?

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz

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