Tuesday’s “First Call” features more smoke about how close the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys may have come to a George Pickens trade.

A pair of former WPIAL standouts are getting rookie minicamp invites from the Steelers. There was some confusion over Kenny Pickett’s fifth-year option.

Duquesne basketball is losing an assistant coach and a former Pirates pitcher is going on the injured list — again.

Picking for news

During her latest “Scoop City” podcast, Dianna Russini said the Steelers were making and fielding trade calls about wide receiver George Pickens.

“He’s on the trading block. Teams are calling about him. The Steelers are calling,” Russini said. “Right before the draft and during the draft (the Steelers) were calling around. Teams were calling them. There were conversations flying around about George Pickens. But I think it’s probably at this point not going to be something we see.”

One of those teams apparently is Dallas.

“They had conversations,” Russini added. “Nothing came to fruition. It could still happen. It wouldn’t make sense now that the draft is over.”

A trade would only be necessary if the Steelers can’t work out an extension with the Pickens. And Russini’s co-host, former NFL QB Chase Daniel, insisted that Pickens “likes his time in Pittsburgh” because of his head coach.

“Mike Tomlin and him have a very strong relationship,” Daniel insisted. “I don’t know if George Pickens’ antics could fly anywhere but the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

In advance of the draft, there were rumors about both the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers having an interest in Pickens. Green Bay drafted two receivers (Texas’ Matthew Golden, TCU’s Savion Williams). The Cowboys didn’t draft any.

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Heading home

A pair of WPIAL products are getting minicamp looks from the Steelers.

One of them is Central Michigan center Dominic Serapiglia. The Thomas Jefferson High School alum spent two seasons with the Chippewas, starting 24 games. The 24-year-old was a two-time All-MAC honoree.

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Central Michigan University made the announcement on social media.

Mt. Lebanon native Seth Morgan is getting a minicamp invite too. Morgan’s reps at “The Gridiron Crew” posted the news on Instagram.

The New Hampshire quarterback also spent time at VMI and Division-II Shepherd in West Virginia. He played in 12 games, racking up 2,382 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. He completed 244 of 384 passes (64%). That was good for a 130.4 passer rating.

Option declined

After some confusion, the Cleveland Browns are not going to exercise Kenny Pickett’s fifth-year option. According to Cleveland.com, the franchise will decline top activate the club option worth $22.117 million for 2026.

That’s not a surprise since the Browns just acquired him via trade from the Philadelphia Eagles — the second time Pickett has been traded since the Steelers drafted him in 2022.

What is a surprise, apparently, is that Browns general manager Andrew Berry didn’t know that he still had some responsibility (or at least availability) to pick up or decline Pickett’s option. He seemed to think Philadelphia had already rejected it.

“That would have been last year with (the Eagles),” Andrew Berry said during his draft wrap up press conference (at the 16:30 mark). “You have to make that decision after Year 3, since he’s already in year four. That’s not a decision that we make.”

But as noted at SteelersDepot.com, that’s not entirely true. The deadline to make that decision is actually Thursday, heading into the player’s fourth season.

Fortunately for Berry, it appears that got straightened out in time. So he either simply flubbed the explanation of the rule because perhaps Philly had previously informed Pickett of their plans before the trade, or he acquired Pickett without knowing the nuances of that incredibly important detail.

For the sake of Browns fans, they better hope it is the first thing. Regardless, Pickett was never likely to get that option from either franchise.

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What now for Glasnow?

Ex-Pirate Tyler Glasnow got injured pitching against his former team Sunday. The Los Angeles Dodgers starter felt shoulder discomfort while warming up before the start of the second inning of L.A.’s 9-2 over the Bucs last weekend.

As a result, the 31-year-old right-hander has been placed on the 15-day injured list. Via the Associated Press, the oft-injured All-Star has been diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation.

Glasnow only got through five starts and 18 innings this season before his latest injury issue, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. Despite the checkered past of Glasnow’s health, he got a five-year, $136.5 million contract from L.A. after arriving from Tampa Bay in December 2023. He didn’t pitch from Aug. 11 onward last year after developing elbow tendinitis. It kept him out through the postseason.

It’s the latest setback for the pitching staff of the defending World Series champions. They are also currently working without Clayton Kershaw and Blake Snell. Shohei Ohtani is hitting but isn’t expected back as a pitcher until at least mid-season. Tony Gonsolin’s back has kept him out since the end of spring training. He is supposed to return to the rotation Wednesday.

Off to Mizzou

The Duquesne Dukes are already losing a bunch of players in the transfer portal. Tre Dinkins (George Washington), Eli Wilborn (James Madison), Halil “Chabi” Barre (Akron), Kareem Rozier (Winthrop), Matus Hronsky (undecided) and Maximus Edwards (undecided) have all left the program.

Now one of the coaches is leaving as well. According to “The Field of 68’s” Jeff Goodman, Missouri coach Dennis Gates is hiring Duquesne assistant Steve Wright. He was previously on Gates’ staff at Cleveland State.

Wright then went to Bowling Green for three years before joining the Dukes in July of 2023. He spent one year with Keith Dambrot’s staff and then another year with Dru Joyce III.

Duquesne did acquire two players in the portal, John Hugley IV (Xavier, Oklahoma, Pitt) and former South Florida guard Jimmie Williams.