First Call: Steelers in touch with 2 draft targets; tempers flare after former Penguins goalie prospect gets 1st win

Tuesday’s “First Call” features some national media types who aren’t high on the Steelers offseason. We track some Steelers scouting efforts in advance of the draft. The Baltimore Ravens aren’t giving up on their quest for a free-agent wide receiver.

And a new definition of “puck battle” emerges to help a former Penguins goalie.

A view from beyond the Three Rivers

I’ve been getting a lot of heat on Twitter and in my email lately from Steelers fans who think I’ve been too hard on the team for its series of moves this offseason.

Sorry, folks. It’s not just me. It’s not just Mark Madden. Or some of the other local media who you seem to believe are required to be the vanguards of the hypocycloid.

It’s the national folks, too.

Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum on @espn calls Steelers FA loser: “They brought back Ben Roethlisberger...they resigned Juju...and they still have questions at LT, C, and RB. I think this is a team that could very well wind up with one of the top 5 picks in next year’s draft.” !!!

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) March 22, 2021

And here’s what Peter King said in his “Football Morning in America” column.

“If this is the way it falls … I don’t understand Pittsburgh choosing JuJu Smith-Schuster, a good player at a plentiful position, over Steven Nelson, the steady cornerback who’d played more snaps than any corner on the roster over the past two years. Not sure if Nelson will be dealt, but if he is, the Steelers are weakening a position that’s traditionally a weak spot.”

Hmm, I feel like I’ve read that before. Where did I see a similar opinion expressed? I can’t quite put my finger on it.

It’s time for some of you Steelers truthers to wake up and realize that criticism of the franchise isn’t about clicks. Or ratings. Or gaining Twitter followers.

It’s just about saying something the audience doesn’t want to believe but needs to be heard. This is a team in transition, whether you want to believe it or not. And how they are going about accomplishing that task is up for second-guessing.

Feeling a draft

If the Steelers are going to fill the holes they have created in free agency, they are going to have to hit a couple of home runs in the draft. To that end, here are a few notes.

• Gifted but oft-injured Alabama center and former Florida State Seminole Landon Dickerson says that he has been in touch with the Steelers during the pre-draft process. The Crimson Tide pro day is Tuesday. It’ll be interesting to see how much Dickerson can do coming off a knee injury in the SEC Championship game. Dickerson is believed to have the talent and the tenacity to be the next Maurkice Pouncey. He may be the best interior offensive line prospect in the draft. But he suffered multiple knee and ankle injuries during his time in Tuscaloosa and Tallahassee.

• Steelers inside linebacker coach Jerry Olsavsky helped lead the workout for Missouri inside linebacker Nick Bolton.

Watch: Here's some video of former #Mizzou LB Nick Bolton's workout with Steelers ILB coach Jerry Olsavsky at Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/JNad5QkHbW

— Andrew Kauffman (@AndrewABC17) March 22, 2021

You can see extended highlights here from ABC 17 in Columbia. He also spoke with the media after the workout and said he had a Zoom call with the Steelers prior to the pro day.

He’s viewed as potentially a late first- or early second-round pick.

• And, via Steelers Wire, head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert attended Florida State’s pro day Monday. That could signal an interest in cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.

Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar is there as well. He may be interested in defensive end prospect Marvin Wilson. Edge rusher Joshua Kaindoh could be a target, too.

More movement

We heard that the Baltimore Ravens were interested in both Smith-Schuster and former Detroit wide receiver Kenny Golladay. But Smith-Schuster stayed in Pittsburgh. And the New York Giants signed Golladay.

Now they are sniffing around Kansas City Chiefs free-agent pass catcher Sammy Watkins.

From NFL Now: The #Ravens will meet with FA WR Sammy Watkins tonight and tomorrow, as a possible reunion with OC Greg Roman looms. pic.twitter.com/g34tQ8QSsz

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 22, 2021

Watkins is also reportedly going to visit the Indianapolis Colts as T.Y. Hilton continues to field offers. It’ll be interesting to see if either of them get multi-year deals for sizable cash after the JuJu bots on social media suggested such a deal would’ve been impossible for Smith-Schuster to get.

Dirty pool

Filip Gustavsson used to be a goalie prospect for the Pittsburgh Penguins. But he was dealt to the Ottawa Senators as part of the Derick Brassard trade.

On Tuesday, Gustavsson won a 2-1 contest over the Calgary Flames during his first NHL start. After the game, though, the Flames did whatever they could to make sure he couldn’t get the victory puck.

Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson grabbed it and attempted to skate away off the ice. Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk got mad and went toward Andersson.

So he disgustedly threw the puck down the ice.

Brady’s older brother, Matthew Tkachuk, who plays for Calgary, broke it up by shooting the puck toward the Senators end of the rink.

So Brady Tkachuk went over to get the game puck for Filip Gustavsson's first career @NHL win.

But the Flames decided to play keep-away with it instead... ? pic.twitter.com/V6NhmPWtP0

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 23, 2021

Eventually, someone retrieved the puck for Gustavsson.

Gus: NHL winner! #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/pmCQSWuOHT

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 23, 2021

Gustavsson made 35 saves during the victory.