Which Vet RB Should Steelers Want?

[Lady Steel]

As the Steelers search for a backup halfback to Le’Veon Bell – or two – a number of formerly good veteran backs have become free agents after their teams released them recently or even into last season.

Here is a handful that are available for the signing: Steven Jackson, Reggie Bush, DeAngelo Williams, Ray Rice and Peyton Hillis.

Not a bad group of names, but do any of them have anything left to not only back up Bell but perhaps start two games if he is suspended?




http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com/steelers-steelers-blog/2015/02/27/Which-Vet-RB-Should-Steelers-Want

[vader29]

I wanted Steven Jackson as a backup last year and I would still take him this year.

[Psycho Ward 86]

i dont like any of those. Reggie Bush, injury prone as hell. Steven Jackson, same, and also over the hill. Ray Rice, self explanatory. Deangelo Williams, see Steven jackson. Peyton Hillis, see steven jackson.

How about Shane Vereen, Bilal Powell, or Roy Helu?

[Shoes]

I would keep Ben Tate, he's cheap, wants to play and can handle the two games Bell will be out. We have Josh Harris and there are some good RB's in the draft, I'm hoping for Varga.

[tube517]

Helu

[Crash]

Jackson was cut because they feel he can't play in a ZBS run attack.

I would take Helu also. But don't be surprised if it's DeAngelo Williams if his college OC Randy Fichtner gives him a strong word to Tomlin and Co.

[NCSteeler]

DeAngelo still is very solid RB and he has split time before, but he may want a full time gig and the pay to go with it.

[86WARD]

With the market the way it is, Shane Vereen could probably be had at a relatively fair price. He'd be my choice out of that group.

[MULLDOG24]

Roy Helu is someone that I would like to have he is still young and very good on screens so I think he is a good fit for our system.

[st33lersguy]

I have liked Roy Helu as an option all offseason, and I think he will be a very good no. 2 for the Steelers

[X-Terminator]

In order:

Helu
Rice (just for the entertainment value)
Vereen
Williams
Bush
Jackson
Hillis

[Mojouw]

Tate, Vereen, Helu, and maybe Bush. Jackson, Williams, Rice, etc are done.

Another guy that could be a sneaky good fit is if the Raiders finally cut McFadden. I realize he has injury concerns, but still possess a wealth of physical ability - at least in the passing game. If he isn't the main guy, maybe he stays on the field.

Hopefully one of the backs falls into the 3rd or 4th. Like a Varga, Ajayi, or Cobb and the problem kinda simply solves itself.

Also what about Ridley?

[Drazo85]

Tate is Blount 2.0. We are talking about 10-15% plays available if Laveon is healthy all year. Most of these guys are looking for more playing time. If any of them has a even a minor red flag i would scratch them from my list.
And yes, I am aware that we lost wild card game because we didnt have valuable back up.

[Crash]

Tate apparently was his usual miserable self around the UPMC facility leading up to the game, so my guess is that first impression will be a lasting one.

[Steelerette]

I would say Tate and Helu. But it's too easy to anticipate Tate being a problem over the course of the season as Bell gets the majority of the carries. While most players, even one or two year stopovers, have good things to say about environment and organization... it's not like the black and gold are magic either. He would probably really have to approach coaching with a change in attitude perspective and an understanding that, even if it's a two-headed-monster, Bell is Head #1 by far. I don't see him doing that.

Another idea that intrigues me though is signing Seastrunk off the Titans' practice squad. To me he's exactly the kind of runner we want and, he can certainly spend time developing and being RB3.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Why no love for bilal powell? i would take him long before williams, bush, tate, and jackson

[one side only]

Chris Johnson

[SteelerFanInStl]

Helu and Vereen if we're talking about a multi-year deal. I've always liked the way that Helu plays and thought that he was underrated.

As someone who's always been a big fan of Steven Jackson, I'd love to see us sign him simply because he's played on bad teams throughout his career and I'd like to see him get a shot at the playoffs. Unlike Blount, he'd be a great role model for Bell and a great fit in the locker room. He can't be a starter any more but I think that he's got enough left to be a quality backup.

[KeiselPower99]

Steven Jackson

[salamander]

Just sign someone who can fill in for Bell if needed and our offense won't completely flame out like the playoff game against the Ravens and I'll be happy.

[Nadroj 20]

Honestly I want someone to relieve Bell of his receiving duties out of the back field. Send another back out there for those purposes. I love the way Bell can receive, but that is also the type of play he was injured on against the Bengals and it makes me nervous.

I like Bush, but that's just me.

[BigNastyDefense]

Honestly I want someone to relieve Bell of his receiving duties out of the back field. Send another back out there for those purposes. I love the way Bell can receive, but that is also the type of play he was injured on against the Bengals and it makes me nervous.

I like Bush, but that's just me.

I think Bell's receiving ability is one of his biggest assets. There have been games where the running game wasn't there, but he made a huge impact catching the ball instead. It wasn't the fact that he was catching the ball on that play, it is how he was hit. You can get hit like that running too, and the same injury would happen.

I like Helu if we are going to go the FA route for a backup. I've always thought he was underrated. He's got experience in a zone-blocking scheme which is what we are running now, and he's not expecting to be the feature back. I've not heard anything about him negatively in the locker room either.

No thank you to Tate, he thinks he is a starter when he isn't. Bush wouldn't be bad, but I think he wants a chance to start and is going to be more expensive than what the Steelers are going to pay a guy for 15% of the load. Jackson was cut due to injuries and the fact that the Falcons don't think he can run behind a zone-blocking scheme. Williams wouldn't be a bad choice, but he always seems to have a nagging injury.

[Nadroj 20]

I think Bell's receiving ability is one of his biggest assets. There have been games where the running game wasn't there, but he made a huge impact catching the ball instead. It wasn't the fact that he was catching the ball on that play, it is how he was hit. You can get hit like that running too, and the same injury would happen.

I like Helu if we are going to go the FA route for a backup. I've always thought he was underrated. He's got experience in a zone-blocking scheme which is what we are running now, and he's not expecting to be the feature back. I've not heard anything about him negatively in the locker room either.

No thank you to Tate, he thinks he is a starter when he isn't. Bush wouldn't be bad, but I think he wants a chance to start and is going to be more expensive than what the Steelers are going to pay a guy for 15% of the load. Jackson was cut due to injuries and the fact that the Falcons don't think he can run behind a zone-blocking scheme. Williams wouldn't be a bad choice, but he always seems to have a nagging injury.

He didn't see the defender coming. WR are more prone to those types of blind side hits then RB. Yeah I agree he could have hurt his knee like that on a running play but not in that way. He caught the ball and once he went to turn up field got hit in the knee by a guy he did not see.

It's different running out of the back field and already having the ball.

I too love his ability to catch the ball. I just wonder if having someone else would at least decrease the potential risk involved.

[Crash]

Yeah it would have. The ideal addition should have been Darren Sproles. Proven 3rd down back, #2 back, 31 years old so no visions of trying to unseat Bell.

Proven return man, which also would keep Antonio Brown off punt return duty.

But no, once again because we try to relive the past we signed a known scumbag because he weighed 250 pounds.

And it backfired.

[86WARD]

That's what they got Dri Archer for...a younger version of Sproles...lol.

[Crash]

Haley's Pittsburgh version of Dexter McCluster, another midget wasted pick who's already on his 2nd team.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Honestly I want someone to relieve Bell of his receiving duties out of the back field. Send another back out there for those purposes. I love the way Bell can receive, but that is also the type of play he was injured on against the Bengals and it makes me nervous.

I like Bush, but that's just me.

you want to take receptions away from bell because you think those type of plays put him at such a big risk, but you want possibly the most injury prone running back ever.

that makes sense.

[Nadroj 20]

you want to take receptions away from bell because you think those type of plays put him at such a big risk, but you want possibly the most injury prone running back ever.

that makes sense.

Last season was his worse where he missed 5 games.

Explain to me how missing 3 games in 3 years before that is "the most injury prone running back ever". That statement is what makes no sense.

In addition, he would be filling a role and would not be our main running attack.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Last season was his worse where he missed 5 games.

Explain to me how missing 3 games in 3 years before that is "the most injury prone running back ever". That statement is what makes no sense.

In addition, he would be filling a role and would not be our main running attack.

if you look at his injury history he has missed significant chunks of games and played oft injured.

I also fail to see how Bell getting targets is a reason to be afraid of him getting injured. It was one play. Having a lot of touches in general will get any player hurt, not the fact that he's a receiving option.

[Nadroj 20]

if you look at his injury history he has missed significant chunks of games and played oft injured.

I also fail to see how Bell getting targets is a reason to be afraid of him getting injured. It was one play. Having a lot of touches in general will get any player hurt, not the fact that he's a receiving option.

It isn't the only reason I would like another receiving threat out of the back field. Duh, having the ball any significant amount of time increases the potential of injury.

It was just a thought to discuss. Which is having our #1 running option be primarily a running option.

[Pappy]

I would keep Ben Tate, he's cheap, wants to play and can handle the two games Bell will be out. We have Josh Harris and there are some good RB's in the draft, I'm hoping for Varga.
I like Tate or Pierre Thomas just released by New Orleans.