The Pittsburgh Steelers and running the football are like peas in a pod. The Steelers offense has been built around running backs since its inception in 1933. Pittsburgh held onto the single-wing formation longer than any other NFL franchise. The offensive game plan in 2023 is built around a power running philosophy that Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin convinced Art Rooney II to invest in.
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Steelers' Najee Harris breaks tackles against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Steelers' returning tandem of running backs is Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Both demonstrated in 2022 that they could be effective running the football and in the passing game. Assuming they are healthy, the pair are expected to share virtually all the available carries in the 2023 offense. On the surface, it is a solid plan, but it is highly contingent on continued production and good health.
Steelers UDFA RB Alfonzo Graham's NFL Dreams Are Derailed By Torn Labrum In Training Camp
Pittsburgh entered training camp in 2023 with four-year veteran Anthony McFarland Jr. and undrafted free agent Alfonzo Graham behind their two lead backs. However, the Steelers lost Graham to a season-ending injury over the weekend with a torn labrum. The injury catapults McFarland Jr., who is having a fantastic training camp thus far into the likely position of being the third running back for 2023.
I’m not one to post a lot of RB clips from camp due to how light tackling is taken but there is a lot of good stuff to take away from with this clip from McFarland, he looks so shifty and weaves through each hole perfectly here! pic.twitter.com/j6jURMaB7n
— Baku 🐧 (@Mazursky8895) July 29, 2023
As a result, the Steelers have turned to a familiar source for potential competition for McFarland. The Steelers signed John Lovett, who played for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Lovett spent the first four years of his college career playing for the Baylor Bears, but finished his college career in Beaver Valley, PA. After going undrafted, he spent last season mostly on the Carolina Panthers practice squad before flashing some ability for the Vegas Vipers in the XFL.
The Steelers free agent running back choice is interesting considering the options that are currently available. They're not looking for a feature back and probably would not pay Dalvin Cook what he wants, but wouldn’t it be worth a phone call? Kareem Hunt has been backing up Nick Chubb for the Cleveland Browns and remains unemployed. Leonard Fournette took a reduced contract to play for a winner in Tampa Bay and is also available.
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Steelers' Anthony McFarland Jr.
The current market for running backs is a buyer's market and on a one-year rental, the Steelers seemingly had better options at a reasonable price. The reliance on Harris and Warren based on the 2022 season is sound. McFarland as the third option is a risky proposition.
It is not his tantalizing talent. The Steelers have been waiting for three years for him to make it onto the field on Sunday. He has only carried the ball 42 times in his career and caught an additional nine passes for Pittsburgh. He lost the 2021 season to injury and spent much of the 2022 season on the practice squad after failing to make the final roster. The Steelers went with Benny Snell Jr. because of his ability on special teams over the former Maryland Terrapins star.
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Former Steelers running back and special teams ace Benny Snell Jr. warms up prior to a 2021 regular season matchup.
Controversy continues to surround the 2023 running back market. Saquon Barkley tried and failed to get a long-term contract from the New York Giants. Josh Jacobs had a career year for the Las Vegas Raiders and earned a franchise tag after the team declined his fifth-year option. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said the quiet part out loud and Jonathan Taylor is now demanding a trade.
In the modern NFL, quarterbacks are making hundreds of millions of dollars. The current top-paid running back is Christian McCaffrey, who proved he was exceptionally talented in Carolina. He also proved he was injury prone after missing all but three games in 2020. In 2021, he played seven games after getting a $64 million dollar extension.
Analytics experts say to pay cornerbacks, edge rushers, and wide receivers. Top running backs are responsible for 35-40 percent of their team's offense. It is a passing league in 2023, but top running backs are not interchangeable parts. The Steelers learned that lesson with Le'Veon Bell. James Conner and the other rotational backs could not make up for Bell's dynamic production and the team took a step backward.
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Former Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell (#26) runs up the field against the Detroit Lions.
Something has to give at this point. The league is heavily invested in keeping the fantasy football and gambling interest happy. It is one thing to shorten a running back's career when their production wanes. It is quite another for backs like Cook and Taylor, who are at the top of their game, to become unemployed because they won't take two-thirds of what McCaffrey makes annually.
The Steelers are trying to bring back bully ball on offense. If the rest of the league is shunning running backs, there is no reason that Khan and Tomlin can't take advantage. Harris and Warren are a good tandem. Multiple former feature backs at a reduced price were available to challenge McFarland, Khan passed on all of them for Lovett. Hopefully, the Steelers will get more than what they paid for.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Should the Steelers have brought in a proven option with so many available? Let me know what you think. Please comment below, or on my TwitterX @thebubbasq.
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