Daily Links: Steelers Throwback End Zones; Ravens Get New WR

The Pittsburgh Steelers are dressing up Acrisure Stadium to look like it’s 1972 on Saturday, and that goes down to some pretty fine details, while the Baltimore Ravens got some reinforcements at wide receiver.

🏈 The Pittsburgh Steelers will have alternate end zones on Saturday. They will eventually look like the 1972 end zone at Three Rivers Stadium, with a gold background behind black lettering. The team is also wearing throwback block jerseys for the game.

🏈 The Ravens placed No. 1 wide receiver Devin Duvernay on injured reserve with a foot injury suffered in practice and claimed Sammy Watkins off waivers from the Green Bay Packers

🏈 Alex Highsmith had the second-highest Pro Football Focus grade among edge rushers in Week 15 (90.8). Cam Heyward was the highest graded defensive lineman in Week 15 (90.5).

🏈 Diontae Johnson has the most targets (123) in a single season for a player without a receiving touchdown since 1992, which was when targets were first tracked.

🏈 The Steelers social media team captured a neat video of George Pickens hyping up Steelers Nation at Sunday’s game in Carolina.

🏈 Dave Dameshek examines what if Franco Harris hadn’t made the Immaculate Reception.

🏈 Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi thinks Marcus Allen’s unsportsmanlike penalty against Carolina was a cuttable offense. “That will get you cut,” Narduzzi said on 93.7 The Fan.

🏈 NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger praised Jaylen Warren for his blitz pickup in Sunday’s win over the Panthers.

🏈 Terrell Edmunds ran over Panthers first-round pick left tackle Ikem Ekwonu in Sunday’s game, resulting in a near strip-sack.

🏈 George Pickens is already the best contested-catch wide receiver in the NFL. His 69.6% contested-catch rate (16/23) ranks No. 1 amongst all wide receivers with 20+ contested targets this season. No other WR is above 65%.

🏈 Former Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker joined Ben Roethlisberger on his Footbhalin podcast to talk about the Steelers’ win over the Panthers, the current state of the Pirates and how he owes his life to Roberto Clemente, and much more.

🎂 Happy Birthday to former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle and first-round draft pick Leon Searcy, who is 53 today, and running back turned artist Baron Batch, who is 35.

💰 From Ohio? Get a free 200 for pre-registering for DraftKings Sportsbook.

STEELERS DRAFT DIGEST

🏈 In a new mock draft done by Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network, the Steelers landed standout Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo in the first round.

“The Steelers’ need at cornerback does come at an opportune time,” Cummings wrote. “The 2023 NFL Draft has a number of high-quality cornerback prospects with plus length — something the Steelers value in their CBs.”

Other players on the board included Joey Porter Jr., Broderick Jones, and Peter Skoronski. Ringo was considered a slam dunk Top-10 pick earlier in the year, but his stock has slipped to be available in the middle of the first round potentially.

🏈 Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Tuesday. A light-footed athletic prospect, Bergeron came onto the radar as Sean Tucker continued to rise with the Orange. He is mocked as a mid-day two pick, but his athleticism and upside could push him up into the higher portion of the second round if things go right during the process.

🏈 Army edge rusher prospect Andre Carter will be able to pursue the NFL Draft and defer service after a bill that would have prevented athletes from applying to defer service was rewritten. The new bill provision will allow athletes such as Carter to head to pro leagues. Carter, a projected first-round pick, would have to serve five years of active duty if the language in the bill was not changed.

🏈 Boise State safety JL Skinner declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Tuesday. Skinner, who grabbed four interceptions and deflected 10 passes in 2022, is a more significant player at 6-foot-4. However, if Terrell Edmunds somehow leaves in free agency, the athleticism and hit power of Skinner could play interestingly at strong safety. His size gives him unique coverage ability, which is why Skinner is thought to be a potential day-two pick.

AROUND THE NETWORK

 Pitt basketball is 2-0 in the ACC after surviving a late scare from Syracuse to win 84-82 in the Dome.

 The Penguins got a boost from the power play to overcome a very slow start and beat the New York Rangers, 3-2.

 Former WVU QB J.T. Daniels has found another new home, as he will transfer to Rice for his final season of eligibility.

PSU wrestling downed No. 5 Iowa State, 22-12 to close out Collegiate Duals meet in New Orleans.

 The Pirates designated infielder Diego Castillo for assignment.
 Pitt forward Bertin Jacquesson to enter MLS SuperDraft, ending college career.