After releasing Trey Edmunds on Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made the corresponding move as players report to Latrobe on Tuesday. They have signed veteran running back Jeremy McNichols, per Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.
The Steelers sign running back Jeremy McNichols and release Trey Edmunds
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) July 26, 2022
McNichols has endured a rocky NFL career after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The running back out of Boise State was notably featured on HBO's Hard Knocks in his rookie year. His preseason and training camp struggles were shown on the show, as he was eventually cut by the Buccaneers. Rather than joining their practice squad, he opted to sign with the San Francisco 49ers practice squad.
Running back Jeremy McNichols evades a tackler against the Philadelphia Eagles. Photo Credit: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Since then, he's joined a different team virtually every year. After time with the Bucs, 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Indianapolis Colts in his first three NFL seasons, he settled in with the Tennessee Titans for his past two seasons, his third AFC South squad. Before 2020, he had just two career carries for four yards, which came with the Colts in 2018. The Titans ended up waiving McNichols in January, before the end of the season, as they picked up Jordan Wilkins.
In two seasons with the Titans, he established a decent role with the team while sitting behind superstar RB Derrick Henry. In 30 games between the two seasons, McNichols racked up 88 carries for 360 yards and one touchdown. Through the air, he caught 40 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown. He specifically had 240 receiving yards in 2021 alone, so he could provide a receiving threat for the Steelers' backfield.
All off-season, a backup running back has been seen as a major need for the Steelers. A veteran like David Johnson seemed like a potential good fit. Heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, many thought they would select a running back late to help spell Najee Harris during the regular season. Those didn't happen, and the team's first notable move at the position happened on Monday with the release of Edmunds. That continued into Tuesday, the same day the Steelers report training camp in Latrobe, with the signing of McNichols.
James Conner's injury update gives Benny Snell's fantasy outlook a massive boost. Photo Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images
It remains to be seen if McNichols can establish himself as a primary backup on this team. Anthony McFarland Jr. and Benny Snell Jr. are his main competitors for a spot on the 53-man roster. He's been a journeyman throughout his career and his spot is far from guaranteed, but if he has a good camp and preseason, either McFarland or Snell could be on the hot seat. Although it's a bit later into the off-season, McNichols' addition is reminiscent of last season's signing of Kalen Ballage. That is, bringing in a veteran body for training camp to see if he can beat out the likes of Snell and McFarland.
What are your thoughts on this move? Is it enough to fortify the depth at the running back position? Should they still add another running back? What does this mean for McFarland and Snell? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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