In the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Michigan State Le’Veon Bell who is expected to become the team’s new feature back. He could get a chance to start as a rookie depending on how he performs during off-season workouts and training camp. It was expected all along that the Steelers would select a new running back in this year’s draft, but many though they would wait until the later rounds.
Bell was expected to be the Steelers pick in the third round by many, but there was also expected to be a run on running backs in the second round and the Steelers weren’t willing to wait and see if he would fall to them in the next round. By drafting a second round running back the Steelers are showing that they are not content with their running game from 2012.
Another takeaway from this pick is that the Steelers are not sold on Jonathan Dwyer or Isaac Redman as their long-term starting running back. Both Dwyer and Redman served as starters at some point during the 2012 season, but by drafting Bell the Steelers have shown that they are looking for a new starter to emerge. It also means that the Steelers may not be sold on moving to a strict zone blocking scheme. Zone blocking is made for quicker cutting backs, but Bell is more of a bruising/power back that will run people over.
On the third day of the draft even more surprising news came out about the Steelers running back position when they were rumored to be shopping one of their running backs. According to Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network the player the Steelers were looking to move was Jonathan Dwyer. It’s not surprising that they may be looking to unload a running back at this point with a log-jam at the position, however.
Prior to the second day of the NFL Draft the Steelers signed former-Arizona Cardinals running back and return man Larod Stephens-Howling. Stephens-Howling was drafted by the Cardinals in 2009 when Todd Haley was the team’s offensive coordinator and the two worked together through the 2011 season. Stephens-Howling, who played his college football at Pitt, visited with the Steelers earlier this off-season and although they also had interest in Ahmad Bradshaw they decided to go with Stephens-Howling instead.
When the Steelers cut Chris Rainey at the start of the off-season for off-field issues it opened multiple holes for the Steelers. They needed to find a punt returner, kick returner, third down back and change of pace back. Stephens-Howling can be a change of pace guy, third down back and kick returner and sixth round pick Justin Brown was a dynamic punt returner in college and could fill that role assuming he makes the team and shows good things as a return in camp.
With Le’Veon Bell and Larod Stephens-Howling now part of the Steelers running back competition things look bleak for Baron Batch, Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman. Two of those three could very well be gone after training camp. Of course that is all just speculation at this point, but Bell is guaranteed to make the roster in 2013 and Stephens-Howling seems to be a good bet to make it as well given his skill set and familiarity with Haley and his offense.
The fact that the Steelers tried to trade Dwyer may mean he is the odd man out, but at the same time he is the only player with any real value so it made sense for the team to shop him. During camp Dwyer and Redman will compete to be Bell’s back-up most likely and Batch will be in a battle with Stephens-Howling to be the third down back, but given Howling’s return skills he may have an edge in that battle. However, it should also be noted that Baron Batch is a very good special teams player and served as special teams captain at times during the 2012 season.
At this point we can only speculate as to who may make the final 53-man roster in 2013 and who may start the season as the Steelers feature back. One thing that is certain, however, is that the Steelers are not happy with the production they received from their running game in 2012 and that has been a point of emphasis so far during the 2013 off-season.
One argument I will make in the running backs favor is that the offensive line needs to stay healthy to help them have a better season. At only one point in the 2012 season did the Steelers have a consistent starting offensive line for three straight games. That offensive line helped pave the way to the three best rushing performances of the Steelers season against two pretty good rushing defenses. That in itself proves that a consistent offensive line may be all the Steelers need to get back to a productive running game.
Even so, a healthy offensive line has been nothing more than a dream for Steelers fans in recent years. There are some high hopes for the line moving forward though; with two first round picks and two second round picks expected to start in 2013 there is a lot of potential. Also, the right side of the Steelers line could be very good in the run game. Maurkice Pouncey is a three year All-Pro (in only three NFL seasons), David DeCastro is considered a very good run blocking guard and Mike Adams started six games for the Steelers at right tackle in 2012 including the teams three best rushing performances of the season.
