First Call: Steelers release a receiver; guess who wants Jake Guentzel?

In Wednesday’s “First Call,” we look at an interesting Pittsburgh Steelers roster move. There’s more fallout from the Brandon Aiyuk drama in San Francisco. A former Steelers receiver is looking for work. A predictable target for Jake Guentzel’s free-agent services has come to light.

And the Oilers are still alive in the Stanley Cup Final.

Done with Denzel

The Steelers have released wide receiver Denzel Mims from the 90-man roster. That’s according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

The #Steelers are waiving WR Denzel Mims, source says. Former #Jets second-round pick had been with Pittsburgh since last October on the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/zEhpudGud9

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 18, 2024

Mims initially came to Pittsburgh as a practice squad member after the Detroit Lions cut him following training camp last summer. He entered the league in 2020 as a second-round pick from the New York Jets out of Baylor.

Given the news of Brandon Aiyuk’s frayed relationship with the San Francisco 49ers, many are connecting the dots between Mims’ release and the Steelers perhaps preparing to acquire Aiyuk in a trade.

Sure. That would be great. But releasing Mims is relatively inconsequential to the equation. There are a lot more dominoes to fall before an acquisition of that magnitude should transpire — much greater than just releasing Mims.

Not only would the Steelers need to figure out salary compensation for Aiyuk (he has already allegedly turned down $26 million), but they’d also need to come up with sufficient trade chips for the 49ers.

Hey, trust me, I’m not against the Steelers trying to make an Aiyuk trade happen. I’ve been completely on board with that for a long time.

I’m just saying that releasing Mims now isn’t necessarily the precursor some are making it out to be. This is adding 1-plus-1 and getting 16. The Steelers might just know that Mims was the least likely of the group of receivers they planned to keep from that big group they brought into minicamp, and they are just letting him go now before carrying him on to training camp.

If the Steelers don’t acquire anyone else of consequence to replace Mims, they still have Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, Marquez Callaway, Scotty Miller and Dez Fitzpatrick fighting for roster spots to complement George Pickens.

Reality check

As we theorized in Tuesday’s “First Call,” a noted national media voice is also saying that Aiyuk was being melodramatic when he claimed that the 49ers “don’t want” him in San Francisco anymore.

Aiyuk made those statements during a social media video posted Monday. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter insists that’s not the case.

“I can tell you that Brandon Aiyuk is not accurate in that statement. The 49ers absolutely want him back. The problem is at what price do they want him back,” Schefter said on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus on Tuesday. “The wide receiver market has exploded. It’s gone up dramatically. The offers and deals have been higher — I believe — than what the 49ers have offered Brandon Aiyuk. So Brandon Aiyuk is taking what the 49ers have offered, and he’s saying, ‘The fact that they don’t want to pay me like Justin Jefferson, they don’t want me here.’ No, that’s not true. They do want him there, but they want him there at a certain number that they believe is fair.”

Yeah. Exactly. That’s what we were saying Tuesday and have been saying for months.

Now, the question for Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan is, “How badly do they want Aiyuk in Pittsburgh?” You might think that a price tag in excess of $26 million per year and a second-round pick may be too much.

I don’t.

Not with the cap space the Steelers have now. Not with the fact that they don’t have a QB on the roster for next year. Not with the knowledge that they are unlikely to pay a big ticket on a QB next year, either.

They are spending $162 million on defense via OverTheCap.com. That’s by far the most in the NFL. The Steelers are only spending $80.9 million on offense, the second-lowest total in the NFL.

The Steelers have $15.8 million in cap space, with the ability to create more. It’s time to start spending on offense too.

Aiyuk is currently slated to make $14.1 on the fifth-year option of his entry-level contract.

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On the same topic

While we are talking about the wide receiver position, a former Steelers pass catcher has been released by the Miami Dolphins.

The franchise announced the release of Mathew Sexton on Tuesday.

Roster Move | We have waived WR Mathew Sexton. pic.twitter.com/zcZhZnwWXv

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) June 18, 2024

That move corresponded with the organization’s decision to sign veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell.

Sexton was signed by the Steelers in 2021. An Eastern Michigan product, Sexton flirted with making the club as a punt returner and slot target. But he was released in late August.

Since then, Sexton has bounced around to the Chiefs, Falcons, Patriots and Dolphins. He was also with the XFL’s Vegas Vipers for a stint in 2023.

This should come as no surprise

There has always been a belief that the Vancouver Canucks may want to make a play for former Penguin Jake Guentzel in free agency. Now a report from the “Daily Faceoff” is fanning those flames.

Via Frank Seravalli at that website, “When the clock strikes 12 noon ET on Canada Day, expect the Vancouver Canucks to make a strong play for pending free agent forward Jake Guentzel. … Sources have been percolating that the Canucks might present the best mix of money and opportunity right out of the gate.”

Not only might Vancouver be able to pay Guentzel what he wants on a team that won the Pacific Division last year, but he’ll have a ton of familiarity around him.

Former Penguins executives Jim Rutherford (president of hockey operations) and Patrik Allvin (general manager) are running the Canucks front office, and Rick Tocchet is the head coach. They were all part of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup team in 2017 when Guentzel won a ring as a rookie.

Ex-Pens teammates Teddy Blueger, Sam Lafferty, Ian Cole and Casey DeSmith were also on last year’s roster.

AFP Analytics is projecting Guentzel to get a seven-year, $9.3 million deal. He has 491 points in 520 regular-season games. In 69 playoff games, Guentzel has 38 goals and 67 points.

E-Rod’s road

The Stanley Cup Final is still going on. That’s because the Edmonton Oilers forced a sixth game by virtue of a 5-3 win in Game 5 at Florida on Tuesday.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid put the game on ice with one of the more memorable empty net goal situations you’ll ever see.

After an incredible save by Tkachuk, Connor McDavid hits the empty net to push the series to a Game 6!#LetsGoOilers | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/SdjJ8kbp71

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) June 19, 2024

The Oilers led the game 3-0 and 4-1. But the Panthers wouldn’t let the game die. Former Penguin Evan Rodrigues had a goal and an assist.

The @FlaPanthers aren’t going away easily in Game 5. ????

Evan Rodrigues gets Florida within two! #TimeToHunt | #StanleyCup

pic.twitter.com/CWlfe4ZHFF

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) June 19, 2024

Rodrigues now has seven goals and 15 points in the playoffs.

Edmonton once trailed this series 3-0. But they have won the last two contests to force a return trip back to Canada for a sixth game.

The last team to win the Stanley Cup Final after getting down 3-0 was the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942. They came back to beat the Detroit Red Wings.

Listen: Tim Benz and Brian Metzer discuss Jake Guentzel, Tristan Jarry, David Quinn, the Stanley Cup Final and more in their weekly Altered Genius Brewing/Barber School of Pittsburgh hockey podcast.