Steelers position review – Running Backs
This is Part 6 of our Steelers position review series. If you haven’t read Part 1 – 5, please click the links below.
Steelers position review – Cornerbacks
Steelers position review – Safeties
Steelers position review – Linebackers
Steelers position review – Defensive Line
Steelers position review – Quarterbacks
The next position that we’re going to look at is the running back position. I believe that running back is a strength for the Steelers. However, I’ve seen several websites that have listed RB as a need that the Steelers might try to fill during the upcoming draft.
Personally, I think that the running back may be the strongest group that we’re going to review during this series. The Steelers have a 1,000 yard rusher in the starting role, several quality veteran backups, and a rookie from last year who showed potential. That’s pretty good, considering some of the glaring needs that I’ve already outlined at several other positions (and we haven’t even talked about the offensive line yet).
Rashard Mendenhall is the entrenched starter. Nobody is going to take his position. He had a career year in 2010. He rushed for a career high 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Mendenhall started every game in 2010. However, his rushing average dropped noticeably when Ben Roethlisberger returned to the starting lineup. In my opinion, Bruce Arians has got to find a way to make the passing game and the running game work well simultaneously.
RB Rashard Mendenhall
One thing that was worth noting was that Mendenhall had almost 100 more carries in 2010 than he did in 2009. Yet, he only rushed for 165 more yards. Thus, his rushing average declined from 4.6 yards/carry to 3.9 yards/carry. Some of that may have been due to the absence of both Max Starks and Willie Colon for most of the season in 2010. However, the Steelers did burn Willie Parker out in just 3 seasons. Hopefully, Mendenhall is not starting to show signs of being overworked.
Isaac Redman is Mendenhall’s primary backup. The Steelers use him primarily as their short yardage back, but I think he can do far more than that. Frankly, I thought the Steelers added him to the active roster a year later than they should have.
Redman averaged 4.8 yards per carry. That’s pretty impressive, regardless of who you are. Moreover, Redman also averaged 8 yards per catch as a receiver. That’s not bad either. The only problem with Redman is that he is not particularly fast. He’s more of a power guy than a speed guy. So he’s not likely to break a long run outside the tackles. But he’s very effective between the tackles.
Mewelde Moore is the Steelers’ third running back. He’s probably the best receiver among the group, and he’s primarily used as a 3rd down back.
Moore had the lowest output of his career in 2010. He rushed for only 99 yards. He did have 205 yards receiving, but that still isn’t a very high output for a back with his experience.
You could make an argument that the Steelers might be better off replacing Mewelde with a younger (and cheaper) player. His production could probably be replaced by such a player. However, Mewelde is a good locker room guy who puts the team first. He knows the Steelers’ offense, and he seems to have the confidence of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Based on that, I think that Moore is likely to be back for another season.
Even if he returns, Moore might be surpassed on the depth chart by Jonathan Dwyer. Dwyer was a rookie last year and didn’t get many opportunities to show what he can do. It probably didn’t help that he was hurt during most of training camp and didn’t give the coaches much to evaluate him on. But during the opportunities that he was given during preseason, he looked good. He rushed for 89 yards during the 3rd preseason game, and 86 yards during the 4th. He ended preseason averaging 4.7 yards per carry. So it will be interesting to see what he can do next year if he’s healthy and gets a full training camp under his belt.
As I mentioned earlier, I believe that the Steelers are in good shape at running back. The most important thing that they need to do to improve their running game is upgrade their offensive line. That will yield greater dividends than drafting another running back will.
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I think Moore is a free agent, though they may have tendered him. Not a high tender, mind you.
Yeah, I don’t get some of the experts listing RB as a need. The Steelers will probably just add camp bodies here.
1I agree that we’re pretty strong at RB. It wouldn’t be good if Mendy got injured, but we’ve got a strong enough passing game to compensate.
I’d take it even a step further with Redman. I’d love to see him get more carries. First of all, that would save a lot of wear and tear on Mendenhall, but even if Redman remains nothing more than a short yardage back he could still see more carries in that capacity. Arians goes to the spread formation on 3rd and short way too often (and don’t forget Moore’s safety against the Jets). I don’t know the numbers, but it seemed like Redman converted 90% of the short yardage opportunities he was given, and it seemed like he usually could get some extra.
That’s part of why I think Redman also needs to be used more at the end of games to grind out the clock. Mendenhall can pick up a yard when you need it; he does very well on the goal line, but he’s struggled to keep the chains moving with 3 or 4 yard gains when Arians goes super conservative running the ball late in games. Besides, Mendy is too valuable to use as a blunt instrument to just bludgeon defenses with, especially when you have a guy like Redman on the roster. Redman’s power running would improve our ability to protect a lead and save a lot of unnecessary wear and tear on our star.
2Dan – I think you’re right about Moore being a free agent. But with his age, and the fact that he rushed for less than 100 yards last year, I doubt there will be a bidding war for his services.
3I think Mendenhalls 100 extra carries came from the the first four games of the season where he got 25+ carries a game, even though he had higher averages in those, I think it’s because Bruce Arians still hasn’t worked out what a fullback is or how to use it.
4Matthew,
I completely agree. Isaac Redman averaged almost 5 yards per carry, and the Steelers only used him in situations where the entire defense knew that Redman was getting the ball. Think about what he could do if Arians mixed it up a little more.
I’d love to see Redman get more carries this year.
5How is Redman’s blocking? He can catch and is a tough runner, so if he can block, he could be used as our FB as well as our power guy. He’s dangerous as a checkdown option: DBs aren’t going to bring him down easily.
6Dan,
It really doesn’t matter how well Redman blocks. He’s not going to be used as a fullback. Neither is anyone else.
Bruce Arians has said on many occasions that his offense does not include a traditional fullback. He prefers to use an H-back, and he has no plans to change that.
Moreover, he has often cited the fact that the majority of the NFL has moved away from using the traditional fullback. He is correct in that assertion. Also, so many colleges are using spread offenses that they aren’t producing many good fullbacks either. That’s why fullback is one of the least talked about positions during any given draft.
7I’m aware of that, but it would be nice to have for goalline and short yardage sets. Johnson and Legursky were used last year, but in juries to the TE and OL put them back where they normally are. Basically, I’d like to see Redman there just to have as much talent on the field as possible at any given time, regardless of set. Short yardage is getting better this way, but it would be nice to see Redman get more opportunities to be on the field, if he can. He already said he wants to be a feature back one day, though with Mendenhall here it may not happen in Pittsburgh. As much Redman love as there is, no one can say that Mendenhall isn’t infinitely better talent wise.
I don’t want the old school Dan Krieder style FB, per se, as that doesn’t really fit the offense. I’d like to see us be able to use more sets, be it 2 RBs, 2 TEs, or 4 WRs, and be able to do absolutely anything from them. Sort of what the Pats were able to do this year. Of course, that may have been out of necessity with their receivers being weaker than normal.
I can’t believe that I’m talking about the FB role and skill position sets now. Can this lockout please end so we can focus on FA and the draft more?
8Dwyer was good in preseason last year, but stats in games 3 & 4 don’t tell us much. He’s unproven. That essentially leaves Redman & Mendy as the only two proven backs, with Moore a question mark. His stats were good last year, but he didn’t play well the previous year. I think it’s time to look for a replacement for Mewelde.
Watch for the Steelers to take Taiwan Jones in a late round in the draft.
9Tyron,
Welcome to the party.
Taiwan Jones is an interesting choice. He was very good playing against small school competition. His speed is impressive. However, I’m a bit concerned about his slight frame, his injury history, his fumbling problem, and his maturity issues.
I see him as a return man and a gadget back in the NFL. But we shall see.
10Redman needs to get the ball more at the goal-line. Tell Arians to stop trying to pad his own fantasy stats and use a guy that will get us in the end-zone more consistently than Mendy did. Yeah he had 13 rushing TD’s, but there were way too many occasions where we were kicking 23 yard field goals because he got stuffed. Put Legursky or Johnson in front of Redman and pull the old Bus plays out of the hat (I.e. three times and get the push) and Redman will get in the end-zone.
11I got the feeling that Redman did not see more action in 2009 because he was having problems picking up blitzes, and he has corrected that. I do believe they should alternate between Mendenhall and Redman every 3rd series. This will allow Redman to gain needed exp. and Mendenhall to rest. In blowout games, trot Dwyer out there in the 3rd and the 4th quarters. They have 4 quality backs, Arians just needs to figure out how to use them and not burn out Mendenhall doing it.
12I am one who believes that if the Steelers get who they want in the first 4 rounds they may take a RB. Would Arians love Derrick Locke 5’8″ speedster (4.3) from Kentucky? Steelers just entertained DaRel Scott from Maryland 5’11″ 211lbs who ran a 4.4 (FWP Jr?) averaged 5.5 Yds/carry and had 500 catches. Others to consider: Jamie Harper 5’11″ 233 lbs; 4.55 Clemson & Stevan Ridley 5’11″ 225; 4.6 LSU. I think the Steelers question whether Dwyer can contribute. They may look at trying to push him with a late round pick. Interesting that you said Moore is a ‘good locker room guy’-I agree. But some of those guys (Foote, Randl El, Hoke, Batch, Eason, etc.) are going to have to go so we can get younger. BTW, was it me or did Moore look like he was slower than Warren Bankston? [Look it up kids! #46.]
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