DeAngelo Williams was one of the most productive players for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the last two season.
The backup running back filled a major void, twice, stepping in during the absence of Le’Veon Bell. During his two seasons with the team, Williams scored 17 touchdowns, including 11 in 2015, tied for the league lead.
But, at 34-years-old, Williams wasn’t a top priority for the Steelers and is now waiting for a phone call from any NFL team that wants him. Unfortunately, at his age, there could be a chance that even with his phenomenal performance over the last two seasons, Williams doesn’t get another chance in the league.
“I guess you could say I’m waiting on the phone call,” Williams told Adam Schefter on the Know Them From Adam podcast. “I guess you could say that. I mean, not guess, you can say that. I’m waiting on the phone call with a GM or head coach or whoever decided they need my services. I’ll be ready.”
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Well, Pittsburgh fans certainly hope their beloved backup running back gets one more shot in the NFL, even if it’s not with their team. Although Williams has ruled out four undisclosed teams, Steelers fans would like to see him get an opportunity with any franchise.
Which leaves the question – is DeAngelo Williams still an option for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
At first, everyone is quick to say no. With the addition of Knile Davis and James Conner, Pittsburgh has a bulky backfield as it is. However, neither Davis nor Conner has proven themselves in the NFL.
The Steelers need to think worst-case-scenario. If Le’Veon Bell goes down with yet another injury, do they trust Davis and Conner to take over the bulk of the running load? Yes, Ben Roethlisberger and their receiving core can handle most of the work without Bell, but they’d still like to have a reliable running option.
Davis, who’s been troubled by fumbling issues throughout his career, has only rushed the ball 46 times over the last two seasons. Although he finally finished a year without a fumble in 2016, he’s still known to have issues with ball control.
Conner looks like a future superstar, but is he ready to take over a team immediately? Worst case scenario, he may have to be the primary running back at some point this season, and until the Steelers see him in action, he’s an unknown commodity.
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None of this means go and sign Williams. If Pittsburgh believes they have the best backfield possible right now, they stick with who they’ve got. But if they are worried about Bell’s health and don’t believe Davis or Conner is the guy to take over this season, Williams is top priority.
“I’m not ruling [Pittsburgh] out,” Williams said.
And maybe Pittsburgh isn’t ruling him out, either.