Time to get off the bottom and find man in backfield
Unlike franchise quarterbacks or dominant left tackles, quality running backs are easy enough to find that just about every NFL team has its workhorse, or at least a one- two punch, or maybe even a three- headed running back by committee.
And then there are the Steelers, who have as wideopen a backfield as any in the league. That could change, but as the first wave of free agency finishes up and more eyes turn toward the draft, there remains a need for the next Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis or Le’Veon Bell in Pittsburgh.
Really, there’s a need for any improvement in the running game, considering the Steelers finished dead last in rushing yards per game and per carry. They’ve been bottom- five in the league in rushing yards each year since Bell’s final season in 2017, and while James Conner was a solid replacement at first, his 2018 Pro Bowl campaign seems like a distant memory.
Conner continues to wait out the early phase of free agency, though after a lifetime of football in the Western Pennsylvania and now eight consecutive seasons running in Pittsburgh, he might want a fresh start just as much as the Steelers. He gave them four seasons of up- and- down production, but also nonstop positive publicity as a feel- good story who overcame Hodgkin lymphoma to become a late third- round pick.
Injuries catch up to just about every back eventually, though, especially the ones known for running hard. It’s good to have more reliable rushers waiting in the wings, and the Steelers have tried to build a stable by using mid- round picks in four consecutive drafts to address the position.
The result? Conner, Jaylen Samuels, Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland. The first three have had their moments, and McFarland didn’t get many chances as a rookie, but it doesn’t feel like any are well- rounded enough to be Mike Tomlin’s everyday dude.
Snell’s a bit of an enigma.
His contributions as a rookie were few and far between as he tried to adjust to the NFL, both on and off the field. But last year in the season opener he looked slimmer and quicker, almost like a revamped version of the Benny Snell Football battering ram who thrilled college football fans during his Kentucky days.
To be fair to Snell, his usage is such that defenses often knew what the Steelers were doing when he was in the game. Among all qualifying rushers, only 14 backs faced eight- plus defenders in the box more often than Snell, who finished second in the league in that category in 2019, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Then again, that could also be an indictment of Snell’s skill set, given that he doesn’t
have much of a reputation as a pass- catcher.
Speaking of players with head- scratching roles in the Steelers offense, is there a more forgotten man on this roster than Samuels? He went from being a pleasant surprise late in his rookie season in 2018, to a reliable safety valve for Mason Rudolph, and then essentially vanished from the game plan in Year 3. Samuels logged just 18 touches last season, nine carries and nine receptions, despite being active for all but two games.
But at least Samuels was a special teams contributor. The same can’t be said of McFarland, who had a mini- breakout in his NFL debut Week 3 against the Texans, posting 49 yards on seven touches. It’s anyone’s guess what happened to him after that, as he never again saw more than five carries, was inactive for the playoff game and is best remembered for a play he didn’t make when Ben Roethlisberger targeted him on a fourth- down try against Washington that led to the team’s first loss.
And let’s not forget fullback Derek Watt, who could’ve just as easily been grouped with the tight ends or even the offensive linemen given how little he was utilized in his first season in Pittsburgh. There was a belief that the Steelers may involve him in the offense more than the Chargers ever did over the course of four years, but instead, he was hampered by injuries and played fewer snaps than any other fulltime fullback in the league. Good thing he had eight special teams tackles and a safety.
It all adds up to a ground attack that needs an overhaul more than a slight tweak, and while the offensive line, quarterback play and scheme all go into that, it would be nice to have a running back who can elevate the rushing game. That means running with power in short- yardage situations, making defenders miss and, hey, how about even breaking a long one for a touchdown every once in a while?
That’s where this draft class comes in, boasting an enticing top three and some solid depth. Perhaps there’s no reason to overthink it if at No. 24 overall you can take Clemson star Travis Etienne, who averaged more than 7 yards per carry in college, had 55 runs of 20- plus yards and still ran a 4.4 at his pro day after bulking up to 215 pounds for the next level.
But then there’s Najee Harris, Alabama’s latest monster, and North Carolina’s Javonte Williams, who finishes runs with a violent nature. No matter whom the Steelers draft, or whether they score a veteran in the later stages of free agency, any newcomer should have a chance to take control of this backfield and run with it.