First Call: Bill Belichick wonders about Steelers' QB decision; Steelers RB wants Jets WR

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson is pumping the well again when it comes to fishing for help at the wide receiver position.

A former Super Bowl winning coach isnt convinced that going to Russell Wilson is the right move for the Steelers.

We have updates on a pair of former Steelers who have new teams.

And there are some ties to Penguins history with the latest milestones hit by Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

All that and more in Thursdays First Call.

If at first you dont succeed? Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson tried to recruit Davante Adams to Pittsburgh through a trade-and-sign deal when it became clear the wide receiver wanted to leave the Las Vegas Raiders a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately for Patterson and the Steelers, that didnt happen.

Instead, Adams wound up with the New York Jets; hell likely play against the Steelers on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium.

Now Patterson is trying to force into existence a trade for a different pass catcher.

He sent a social media message to Jets receiver Mike Williams.

Since Adams is coming on board with the Jets, Williams may be bumped down the ladder when it comes to targets from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the Steelers may be able to pick him up via trade.

Prior to Adams arrival, Williams had been in the role of third receiver behind Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard.

Williams had only 10 catches over the first six games, for an average of 24.2 yards per contest.

The Steelers expressed an interest in acquiring Williams as a free agent this offseason.

However, the 30-year-old signed a one-year, $10 million deal in New York instead.

Making the move Former Patriots coach turned NFL commentator Bill Belichick is wondering if Mike Tomlin is making the right move by going to Russell Wilson at quarterback.

You go with that quarterback when youre sure that hes going to upgrade your team.

If youre not sure, you probably stay with where youre at, Belichick said on a recent edition of The Coachs Podcast .

Belichick may not be sure.

But apparently Tomlin is, hence pulling Justin Fields with a 4-2 record.

Its the rust factor with Wilson that seems to be concerning Belichick.

Russells a veteran quarterback and that guy knows how to play, Belichick said.

But he just hasnt had the timing and the live snaps because he certainly didnt get them in preseason.

So its a tough task to (go) in there at this point in the season with really no reps.

The last time Wilson played in a regular season game was Week 16 of last year.

Penguins' Evgeni Malkin scores career goal No.

500 in 3rd period vs.

Buffalo Other than Evgeni Malkin's 500th goal, nothing goes as planned in Penguins' OT win over Sabres Alex Highsmith limited, MyCole Pruitt full, Najee Harris sits out practice for Steelers New stops A pair of former Steelers have set off for new places this week.

Defensive lineman Armon Watts is going to the New York Giants practice squad.

Thats according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC-2 television .

Watts played all of the 2023 season in Pittsburgh.

The Giants visit Pittsburgh for Monday Night Football next week.

The Steelers also tried to make something work at wide receiver this offseason by signing Denzell Mims.

He didnt stick with the team, though.

Now, Mims is going to the UFLs St.

Louis Battlehawks.

After three NFL seasons, Mims has 42 catches for 676 yards and no touchdowns.

Connection to the past The Penguins wild 6-5 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday wouldve been something to behold even without the milestone accomplishments achieved by future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

The Penguins got down 3-0 .

Then they took a 4-3 lead.

The Sabres eventually tied the game and went ahead 5-4 in the third period.

But Pittsburgh got a fifth goal to tie it from Rickard Rakell with less than a minute to go in regulation.

Sidney Crosby ended it with a 4-on-3 overtime game-winner.

Earlier in the game, Crosby picked up his 1,600th point.

Via ESPN , the Penguins captain is the first player to reach that plateau since former Penguin Jaromir Jagr did it as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Crosby had three points on the night.

That was his first goal of the year.

As for Malkin, he scored career goal No.

500 in the third period.

Malkin is up to 11 points in the first five games of the NHL season.

According to NHL public relations , Malkin is the first Pittsburgh player to post at least 11 points through the teams first five games of a season since Mario Lemieux in 2002-03.

The win improved the Penguins to 3-2 on the year.

They next play Friday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes..

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