First Call: Brandon Aiyuk trade talks may need 3rd team; former Steeler DL joining Bengals; 49ers sign Pressley Harvin III

The Brandon Aiyuk saga is taking a twist. We look at the Pirates’ upcoming series in Los Angeles. An ex-Steeler is joining an AFC North foe.

And the club’s first opponent suffers a significant injury loss on offense.

All that in Friday’s “First Call.”

Now it gets complicated

As we told you Wednesday at “Breakfast With Benz,” there is a hold-up to the trade talks surrounding Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers. The San Francisco 49ers want at least one or two actual players in return.

They don’t just want draft picks. The Steelers are reportedly offering only draft picks.

Furthermore, if the Steelers do offer players, they don’t have any wide receivers that the 49ers want. The Niners want a receiver if Aiyuk is going out the door.

That’s why there were some rumblings Thursday that the Niners and Steelers may try to get a third team involved. In other words, the Steelers trade a bunch of picks to the Niners for Aiyuk. Then the Niners give some of those picks to Team X for wide receiver X off that team’s roster.

Speaking on the “Rich Eisen Show,” NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo suggested such a plan may well happen.

“I have no doubts in my mind that the 49ers have had those conversations,” Garafolo said on the topic of investigating a three-team trade. “I have been told that, and they’re nosing around the league. And the problem is nobody’s really got an excess of receivers that can give you that caliber of guy you’re looking for.”

???? @MikeGarafolo

It does not appear to be about money for Brandon Aiyuk as he reportedly turned down $32M/yr from #NEPats in a potential trade:#NFL #NFLPreseason #FTTB pic.twitter.com/XTSuWYEiMa

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 8, 2024

Who that team may be and when this trade may happen is still unclear.

Meanwhile, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston is reporting that San Francisco is signing former Steelers punter Pressley Harvin III.

#49ers signed punter Pressley Harvin III @GeorgiaTechFB @SiegenSports

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 9, 2024

The Steelers released Harvin in February after three up-and-down years in Pittsburgh.

Related

• Tim Benz: Why is everyone so mad at the Pirates? Can't you tell they are doing us a favor?
• With season spiraling, Pirates count on starting pitching to serve as stoppers of losing streak
• 5 things to watch for as Steelers face Texans to open preseason play

Worth watching

With six losses in seven tries, the Pirates (56-58) are playing themselves out of playoff contention.

However, there is still lots of intrigue as the team heads to Los Angeles for three games this weekend against the National League West-leading Dodgers.

The Buccos start the series with Mitch Keller on the mound Friday. He is 10-5 with a 3.20 ERA. The right-hander will be opposed by newly acquired Jack Flaherty.

One of the biggest names to move at the trade deadline, Flaherty won his first start as a Dodger on Saturday, going six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics. He improved to 8-5 during a 6-0 win. His ERA is 2.80 after a solid start to the season with the Detroit Tigers.

Saturday, Pirates first-year sensation Paul Skenes starts against fellow rookie River Ryan. In three appearances, Ryan has allowed just three earned runs over 15 ⅔ innings. As for Skenes, he is 6-1 with a 1.99 ERA.

Then, on Sunday, ex-Pirate Tyler Glasnow is supposed to pitch against his old club. The Los Angeles All-Star is 9-6 with a 3.54 ERA and 164 strikeouts, fifth-most in the Major Leagues. In his last start, Glasnow racked up nine strikeouts and no walks as the Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3.

Tyler Glasnow strikes out Schwarber, Turner and Harper to start things off in the #MLBNShowcase!@Casamigos | @Dodgers pic.twitter.com/V6KPMVFBbK

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 6, 2024

Bailey Falter (5-7, 3.87) counters for the Pirates.

Falcon flagged for injury

The Atlanta Falcons host the Steelers in the first week of the regular season. They’ll do so without a pass-catching threat.

Rondale Moore has a knee injury. The ex-Arizona Cardinal has been placed on the reserve/injured list Thursday. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is claiming that this is a season-ending injury.

According to the Falcon’s website, “Moore was carted out of Wednesday’s joint practice with an air cast on his right leg.” The team confirmed he has a knee injury.

Moore — who had been receiving first-team reps in padded practices — was acquired from Arizona in March for quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Last season, Moore posted 40 catches for 352 yards and a touchdown.

Bengal bound

Ex-Steelers defensive tackle Carlos Davis is joining an AFC North rival.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the former seventh-round pick (2020) is heading to Cincinnati. The Bengals have been dealing with numerous injuries along their defensive line in training camp.

Davis is the twin brother of Houston Texans defensive lineman Khalil Davis. The Steelers also had Khalil on the roster in Pittsburgh in 2021.

Carlos Davis is coming off an excellent season with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL. After putting up 23 tackles (four for loss) and seven sacks, the Nebraska product was named to the 2024 All-UFL Team after the season.

In 12 career games with the Steelers from 2020-22, Davis had 12 tackles (three for loss) and one sack. He has also spent time with the Falcons.