Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

No, you’re not trapped in a loop in the space-time continuum. It just seems like it. Today the Steelers cut running back Najeh Davenport. Again. What’s that, the third time? Fourth? Fifth? I’ve stopped counting.

To make us feel even more like Bill Murray in “Ground Hog Day”, they also resigned Scott Paxson. You know, the defensive end from Penn State who has been released and resigned by the Steelers more often than Paris Hilton’s been filmed naked. Yawn.

Let me guess, next week the Steelers will release punter Mitch Berger and sign Paul Ernster. Well, at least the Steelers are predictable.

By the way, that was a joke about signing Ernster. I thought I should clarify that before thousands of Steelers fans started committing suicide.

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The Steelers cut kick returner and backup running back Najeh Davenport.  Davenport had spent the past 2 seasons as a mostly unproductive running back with the Steelers.   This year, Davenport was brought back as an insurance policy when the Steelers suffered a rash of injuries to their running backs.

In his previous 2 seasons, Davenport gained a combined 720 yards rushing for the Steelers.  He also had 377 receiving yards.  However, despite being 6’1″ and almost 250 lbs., Davenport never played like a “big back”.  Despite his impressive size, Davenport seemed to eschew contact. 

This year, the Steelers used Davenport primarily as a kickoff returner.  He was averaging 21.7 yards per kickoff return, and was leading the Steelers in total kickoff yardage. 

Was it just me, or did Davenport always seem like a compromise solution?  Each time I watched him perform, I always got the nagging feeling that the Steelers could do better.  Each time Davenport had the ball, he always seemed to be running in slow motion.  It still amazes me that he was the Steelers’ best kickoff returner.  I’m not sure if that says something positive about Najeh, or something negative about the rest of the Steelers kickoff returners. 

The one positive that Davenport did bring to the kick return game was his propensity to go north-south, rather than east-west.  Davenport understood that the goal of a kick returner was to get the ball closer to the goal line.  His technique was simple; catch the ball, and then run towards the goal line as fast as you can before the opposing team tackles you.  Davenport’s speed was never impressive, but his understanding of high school geometry was.  He remembered the mathematical rule that the shortest distance between any two points is a straight line.  When Davenport returned kicks, he never really tried to evade tacklers.  He simply ran in a straight line until he couldn’t run any more.  He would usually gain about 21 yards before that would happen.

I’m not sad to see Davenport go.  He never was a fan favorite.  However, I hope that the Steelers’ remaining kickoff returners will learn something from Davenport.  Go north-south rather than east-west.  Afterall, the shortest distance between any two points is a straight line.

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In the wake of the Steelers’ injury-filled game against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night, the Steelers were left with just one healthy running back on the roster.

Willie Parker was already injured going into the game. During the game, 1st round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall fractured his shoulder and will be put on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. To make matters even worse, RB Carey Davis sprained his ankle later in the game, leaving the Steelers with only one healthy running back on their roster; Mewelde Moore.

In an attempt to address that problem, the Steelers brought in Najeh Davenport for a workout today. If Davenport passes his physical, it is assumed that the team will sign him to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend.

Davenport played the past 2 seasons with the Steelers, but was made expendable when the Steelers drafted Rashard Mendenhall. Davenport was released in June.

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