Friday’s “First Call” takes yet another look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ inside linebacker position. One blossoming Steeler makes a list of young NFL superstars. And an ex-Steelers defensive back has a new team.

Plus the Penguins draft got at least one mediocre review, and we check in on the next opponent for the Pirates.

What’s one more?

The Steelers certainly have thrown a lot of bodies at the inside linebacker position this offseason.

Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts were signed to be the perceived starters. Tanner Muse and Nick Kwiatkowski have been inked as depth pieces. Mark Robinson is getting an increased look as a second-year player. Safety Keanu Neal may end up playing a quasi-ILB role at times in coverage situations. And fourth-round rookie Nick Herbig has the potential to bump inside if needed.

That isn’t stopping Pro Football Focus from suggesting the Steelers should maintain an eye on signing former Atlanta and Tennessee ILB Rashaan Evans.

Before organized team activities started in May, PFF posted a list of one move that every NFL team should make before those practices and minicamp. Back then, they said the Steelers should sign Evans.

Now, with training camp looming next month, they ran a similar post pontificating about one move every team should make before training camp. Again, writer Brad Spielberger comes back to playing matchmaker between the Steelers and Evans.

“We haven’t changed our answer here after the Steelers addressed almost every weakness from a starter and depth standpoint throughout this offseason. Another piece at off-ball linebacker is the one final move that makes a lot of sense,” Spielberger said. “The Steelers have rotated through a handful of former highly drafted off-ball linebackers over the past few seasons and follow a similar idea here with the 2018 first-rounder. Evans is coming off career highs with 1,104 snaps, 46 defensive stops and 110 tackles while missing only 7.3% of opportunities.”

Before posting those numbers with the Falcons in 2022, Evans spent four years with the Tennessee Titans. Many thought the Steelers would take Evans out of Alabama in the 2018 draft at pick No. 28, but he ended up in Nashville at No. 22. The Steelers wound up with Terrell Edmunds instead.

Honestly, I was more intrigued by Evans than I was by Holcomb or Roberts in the first place. But once the Steelers signed those two guys in free agency this spring, plus two more at the position after that, they simply must not see Evans as the fit that PFF does.

If things don’t work out with some of these signees, or there are injury issues, I’m sure the club can give Evans a call. But for now, adding yet another ILB to the room feels like overkill to me. If anything, I’d add one more outside linebacker — even after signing Markus Golden — than I would another ILB.

California dreamin’

Former Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon has a new NFL team: the Los Angeles Rams.

Welcome to LA, Ahkello!

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 29, 2023

The 28-year-old Witherspoon played in Pittsburgh from 2021-22 after being acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. Witherspoon played 13 games in black and gold, accumulating 35 tackles (one for a loss), four interceptions and 11 passes defended.

The former Colorado Buffalo suffered a significant hamstring injury in Game 3 against the Cleveland Browns last year. He managed to suit up just one more time in 2022, dressing in the Steelers’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Via the L.A. Times, Witherspoon — who was born and raised in Sacramento, Ca. — will join a cornerback group that includes Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, Robert Rochell, Shaun Jolly and rookie Tre Tomlinson.

The Rams play Pittsburgh on Oct. 22.

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On the rise

NFL.com came up with its All-Under-25 Team. One Steeler is mentioned. Pat Freiermuth is named the lone tight end.

Entering his third year, the 2021 draft choice out of Penn State already has 123 catches for 1,229 yards and nine touchdowns.

We know he already has a touchdown...

But he would like another one.@pat_fry5 | ????: ESPN pic.twitter.com/K1VHTRuFIQ

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 9, 2021

“While I wait for the Falcons to show me the true potential of Kyle Pitts, who made this team a year ago, I’m including a less heralded — but effective — tight end in Freiermuth,” writer Nick Shook said. “After an encouraging rookie year, Freiermuth set career-high marks in receptions (63) and receiving yards (732) in 2022. He scored just two touchdowns, but likely would have found the end zone more often with better quarterback play. Freiermuth proved he can be counted on, no matter who is throwing it to him (it should be Kenny Pickett from here on out), and I expect him to be a staple of the Pittsburgh offense for a long time, much like Heath Miller was for Ben Roethlisberger.”

Now it’ll be interesting to see how Freiermuth’s stats, including his snap counts, are impacted by the presence of rookie draft choice Darnell Washington.

Unimpressed with Pens

At least one outlet had a less than a glowing review of the Penguins’ draft haul. Steven Ellis at the Daily Faceoff gave the team a “C” grade and rated its performance this weekend 26th out of 32 teams.

That’s surprising, since Ellis says that he likes first round pick Brayden Yager.

“Brayden Yager is a guy I believe in, someone I think will have a solid career with the Penguins in a middle-six forward role. I’m not a huge fan of the rest of their picks, so it’s Yager doing the heaviest lifting here. Emil Jarventie was worth the late-round pick,” Ellis said.

Eh, I mean, in the NHL, normally, if you like the first-round pick you like the draft. So maybe Ellis is paying too much attention to some of the dabbling first-year hockey ops president Kyle Dubas did with his European draftees on Thursday.

But to me, that’s not my focus. Like Ellis, I’m lukewarm on the Penguins’ draft as well. But that’s because I thought Dubas passed up more dynamic prospects — such as Matthew Wood, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Oliver Moore — to take Yager.

Brew Crew is cruising

The Pirates will meet up with the Milwaukee Brewers for a series this weekend at PNC Park. Both are playing good baseball.

The Pirates just finished a sweep of the San Diego Padres. The Brewers have now won four of five.

Milwaukee ended a four-game series against the New York Mets with three wins in its back pocket, claiming a 3-2 victory Thursday. Devin Williams struck out former Pirate Starling Marte to end the game with the bases loaded.

THAT'S AN ALL-STAR.

DEVIN WILLIAMS SLAMS

THE DOOR. #THISISMYCREW pic.twitter.com/D7YTHUuV92

— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) June 30, 2023

Williams now has 16 saves, tied with Pittsburgh’s David Bednar for fourth in the National League.

Milwaukee is here for three games. The Brewers start play Friday at 43-38, tied with the Cincinnati Reds for first place atop the National League Central. The Pirates (38-42) are in third place, 4½ games back.

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