Steelers GM Kevin Colbert: Pittsburgh's run game wasn't 'good enough' in 2020
Published: Feb 18, 2021
Kevin Patra
Around the NFL Writer
The focus of Pittsburgh Steelers GM Kevin Colbert's message to the media Wednesday was rightfully on his tepid comments regarding signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger. Quarterback wasn't the only position with question marks Colbert touched on, however.
The Steelers general manager noted that regardless of who the quarterback is in 2021, Pittsburgh must get more out of its running game.
"I will look at it from the personnel standpoint," Colbert said of the run game, per the team's official transcript. "And the group of guys we had last year -- the offensive line, the running backs, the wide receivers, the quarterbacks -- it did not produce a good running game. I think schematically, that's up for the coaches and up to coach (Mike) Tomlin to figure that. And my input would be if we need to do certain things schematically, these are the types of players that may be available to help us achieve that."
The Steelers' top four running backs combined for 1,230 rushing yards for the 2020 season. Their lead back, James Conner, compiled 721 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.3 yards per carry, with six TDs. Conner averaged just 2.87 yards after contact for the season, per Pro Football Focus, and lacked lateral explosiveness. With the 25-year-old set to hit free agency, the Steelers' running back room is likely in for a massive overhaul.
Colbert noted that getting more out of the running game needs to be a group improvement, not just about adding different RBs to the equation.
"Again, it is a collective effort," he said. "You can't say the runners weren't good enough, or the quarterbacks weren't good enough, or the line wasn't good enough. To put out the kind of running game we did, no one was good enough. And again, that is a collective effort. We need to be better, quite honestly, just in reference to what Mike (Tomlin) was talking about; we need to finish. And I think having a strong running game helps teams finish in that time of year."
to read rest of article:
https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-gm...h-james-conner
Sounds like an early OT may not be so early. Colbert & Missi interview.
“The tackles are unusually deep this year. I think we can add players through the draft, and hopefully we’ll be able to do some type of business in free agency, and we’re always gonna look at our own players first”.
I like the idea of Jalen Mayfield or Tevin Jenkins to the Steelers. Not considered the top-tier, but two guys that I think have a chance to be really, really good players that also bring good run blocking skills to the table. Jenkins also has that nasty disposition where he finishes every play to just after the whistle and doesn't take plays off while trying to bully his opponent.
I think either player would be a good addition here without having to move up to get a higher evaluated player. Maybe a higher rated player drops to them in the first, but there's a good chance one or both of these players will be there in the 1st, and might even be available slightly later if they trade back and can still be available.
I think we know they will be looking at OL in the draft, we just don't know what their big board looks like and how they have players rated. For all we know, the Steelers could be targeting a center like Landon Dickerson or Josh Myers that is projected to go somewhere in the 3rd round by most I've seen. If that's the case, they will be looking for impact players at a positions of need early, and then do whatever they have to do to get specific players they covet later in the draft based on the player ratings.
I know this is all just a guess based on a small quote that may not really mean anything, but it's still fun to think about.
Only 25 more days until the new league year and we can start hearing what the plan actually may be.
He wasn't good at all. If they are interested in bringing him back, that tells me he was playing hurt last year. Because if last year's performance was what he has left, he shouldn't be signed for anywhere near the numbers that we've been hearing mentioned about his worth on the open market.