What was every Steelers fans’ worst fear on Sunday is a reality on Monday. Monday afternoon the team announced that they were placing Le’Veon Bell on the Reserve/Injured List with a right knee injury.
The roster move was completed with a signing of free agent running back Isaiah Pead, whom the team brought in for a workout on Monday.
In six games this season Bell ran for 556 yards on 113 carries for three touchdowns. He also had 24 receptions for 136 yards. Before Sunday’s game he was the AFC’s leading rusher even with missing the first two games of the season due to suspension.
Bell is a special talent and the Steelers and Bell’s fans can only hope for a full recovery because he’s a young guy that should have a ton of great football ahead of him.
The signing of a free agent running back in my mind only further cements the thought that the team is still unwilling to admit that the third-round pick of RB/WR/KR Dri Archer was a luxury they shouldn’t have gone for at that point.
Thankfully, whoever, the team already has a proven running back in DeAngelo Williams who is averaging 4.9 yards per carry through the first eight games of the season and holds the team’s longest run with the 55-yard burst against the Bengals on Sunday. They also have 25-year-old Jordan Todman signed to back up Williams prior to the season.
It’s a shame that Archer cannot contribute to the team in Bell’s absence. He can barely contribute to the team on special teams.
It’s a bigger shame that Le’Veon Bell’s season is cut short. Hopefully he has a full and speedy recovery ahead of him.
Here we go Steelers! Here we go!