Pittsburgh Steelers: Assessing the running back position entering summer
The Pittsburgh Steelers OTAs and minicamps are done. Next up is training camp. We’re looking at the team’s various positions and next is running back.
Welcome to our newest series for NFL Spin Zone. As the moment, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a little “down time” for now with the conclusion of organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps. So we are taking a bit of a look at the various positions and units for Mike Tomlin’s club. We already started with Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the quarterbacks. Now we’ll preview the running back position.
When called upon this past season, running back Le’Veon Bell put the “work” in workhorse. You could make the case that he was the key to the team’s offense and not necessarily Roethlisberger and the passing attack.
While he missed the first three games due to his latest suspension, he still put up substantial numbers. He finished fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,268 yards and third in the league with 1,884 yards in just 12 contests.
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Bell averaged 28 touches from scrimmage during the regular season thanks to 261 carries and 75 receptions. There were a combined 59 rushing attempts and four catches in the playoff wins over the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. But the 25-year old pro was injured early in the AFC Championship Game at Foxborough and the Pittsburgh offense looked ordinary at best.
Now, Bell is on the mend following offseason groin surgery. He wasn’t on the field for mandatory minicamp and that’s somewhat understandable. The team gave him the exclusive right franchise tag and he hasn’t signed his tender. The Steelers now have until July 17 to get a long-term deal done with the former Michigan State standout.
The club did not bring back veteran running back DeAngelo Williams. Instead, they still have Fitzgerald Toussaint. They also opted to sign one-time Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers’ all-purpose back Knile Davis. And the club used the second of its third-round draft choices in April to grab former Pitt Panthers’ star James Conner.
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Evaluation:
Le’Veon Bell is one of the most complete players at his position in the league. He runs hard, has good hands and is a terrific blocker. But either injuries or poor decision-making has cost him his share of games over the course of four seasons. The drafting of Conner is nice insurance if the Pittsburgh Steelers are unable to work out a long-term deal for Bell. Toussaint is adequate and proved his worth in the 2015 playoffs when called upon. And while Davis had had his ups and downs in recent years, he could be an asset on kickoff returns.
All that being said, the last thing this team needs is a long holdout from their star running back.