With running back Le’Veon Bell’s status for Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens not looking good, the Pittsburgh Steelers look to be taking steps to add depth at the position.
According to several reports, the team will interview and workout Ben Tate on Tuesday and if all goes well are expected to sign the 26-year old.
Tate was considered the top free agent running back this March after backing up Arian Foster in Houston for a few years.
That led to him signing with the Cleveland Browns, where things didn’t go well and was ultimately released. Tate was claimed by the Minnesota Vikings, but was let go last week and went unclaimed.
In 11 games this season, Tate has 119 attempts for 371 yards and four touchdowns. However he averaged only 3.1 yards per carry on the season.
If Tate is indeed signed, he likely won’t have much of an impact Saturday night against Baltimore as all signs point to Josh Harris getting the start and Dri Archer being more involved in the game plan.
But being a veteran, Tate should see the field some and could contribute a little bit, especially in terms of pass protection where both Archer and Harris struggle.
If the injury to Bell turns out to be worse than originally imagined and would sideline him for more than one week, Tate could turn out to be more than just insurance going forward if the Steelers advance in the playoffs beyond this weekend.
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