On Sports: Will an ex-Steeler make his Giants debut as starting LT vs. Steelers?; Bub Carrington makes NBA debut
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O-line shakeup
They’ll get no sympathy from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who themselves have started nine different offensive linemen and five starting combinations of the unit through seven games. But Pittsburgh’s next opponent is facing desperate times at its O-line’s most high-profile position.
Signed off the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad just last week and having not appeared in a regular-season game in almost a year, Chris Hubbard was taking practice reps at left tackle for the Giants on Thursday.
Coach Brian Daboll did not discount the possibility Hubbard could start Monday night at the Steelers.
If Hubbard did, that would be far from his first outing at what is now called Acrisure Stadium. Hubbard, 33, appeared in 39 games and started 14 for the Steelers between 2014-17. He spent the next five seasons with the Cleveland Browns — the first 2½ of which as a starter at right tackle. Last season, Hubbard started nine games at right tackle for the Tennessee Titans before landing on injured reserve in November because of a biceps ailment.
Hubbard has never started and played a full game at left tackle in the NFL. Over the past five seasons, he has only a combined 15 starts at any position (right tackle or right guard).
Hubbard spent training camp with the San Francisco 49ers, who added him last month to their practice squad.
The Giants lost five-year starting left tackle Andrew Thomas to a season-ending Lisfranc injury two weeks ago. Josh Ezeudu replaced Thomas last week but allowed two sacks in the first quarter of a 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Those were two of eight sacks of Daniel Jones that day.
Free-agent tackle D.J. Humphries, a former Pro Bowler with the Arizona Cardinals, visited with the Giants this week but was not signed.
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Small problem for the big ‘Problem’
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday referred to New York defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence as “a problem.” At first glance Thursday, it appeared the Steelers might have lucked themselves into a solution, but it seems as if Lawrence remains Tomlin’s problem to solve.
Lawrence did not practice Thursday, listed because of a hip injury.
#Giants head coach Brian Daboll says CBs Cor’Dale Flott (groin) Adoree Jackson (neck) not practicing, Dexter Lawrence (hip) and Ty Summers (ankle) also out of practice today. Daboll is not overly concerned about Dexter’s availability for MNF at Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/OOnbYm1Qng
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) October 24, 2024
By all indications, though, that designation was less the reason why Lawrence sat out than what Tomlin might call a “veterans day off” for some of his better experienced players. The NFL’s sack leader with nine, Lawrence is likely to sit out several mid-week practices the rest of the season, according to Daboll via media reports.
In The Show
Former Pitt star guard Carlton “Bub” Carrington made his NBA debut Thursday night. The No. 14 overall pick, Carrington started the Washington Wizards’ season opener after showing up to the arena in a Pitt hoodie.
The 6-4 Carrington had three points on 1 of 6 shooting, adding two assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two turnovers in 26 minutes of a 122-102 loss to the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics.
A Baltimore native, Carrington left Pitt after a freshman season in which he averaged 13.8 points. 4.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 0.6 steals per game.
The only freshman in the country to average at least 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists last season, Carrington was Pitt’s fourth “lottery” draft pick.
Among the best
CBS Sports on Thursday released a list of what it considers to be the best 101 college basketball players in the country. A player from Pitt and West Virginia each made the ranking.
Panthers point guard Jaland Lowe was 78th. Mountaineers small forward Tucker DeVries — son of new WVU coach Darian DeVries — came in at 50th.
Part of the writeup on DeVries: “If West Virginia wins enough games, DeVries could make a run at Big 12 Player of the Year.”
Bub Carrington showed up to his first NBA game repping #Pitt
(Via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/SaBKMkk7zx
— George Michalowski (@MichalowskiCBB) October 25, 2024
Familiar journeyman back
The Pirates have brought back pitcher Yohan Ramirez. According to their transactions page, the journeyman righthander was signed to a minor-league contract.
Ramirez, 29, appeared in 48 games in 2022-23 for the Pirates, one of eight teams he pitched for over the past five seasons. Ramirez’s best work came for Pittsburgh — 3.67 ERA, 118 ERA+, 0.6 WAR are all his best marks than with any other team he’s pitched.
Ramirez spent a nomadic 2024 in which he switched teams four times. He opened the season with the Mets but then quickly spent three weeks with the Orioles before waivers led him back to the Mets in May — but only for two weeks until his contract was sold to the Dodgers, who in July waived him — only for Ramirez to get claimed by the Red Sox, for whom he allowed three runs in 1⅓ innings of one game before getting released.