Do the Pittsburgh Steelers consider drafting a running back with James Conner’s struggles?
James Conner’s struggles are preeminent in recent weeks, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers with a new and lingering question – do they consider a running back?
Right now, James Conner is the running back in Pittsburgh. Le’Veon Bell is gone, likely not returning and whether it’s Conner or someone else, it’s time for the Steelers to find their next franchise runner.
Until recent, the consensus was that Conner was the future of Pittsburgh running football. He was, for lack of a better term, killing it during the first half of the season. When Pittsburgh was winning, and even when they weren’t, Conner was leading the way. His impact was felt, but since the Bye Week, it hasn’t been.
Leaving the question – do they consider a running back in the 2019 NFL Draft. If the Steelers are going to take a chance on a free agent running back, they might as well transition tag Le’Veon Bell. No one on the market is nearly as good as Bell, and chances are no team is going to give him the $17 million he’s looking for.
Signing him is doable, so if Pittsburgh wants to claim a free agent back, he’s the answer.
In Draft Wire’s latest three-round draft, the Steelers aren’t reaching too far for a new running back, but they are taking a chance on someone else in the backfield. According to their mock, Pittsburgh uses their first two picks on defense. Byron Murphy, the cornerback out of Washington, and Jerry Tillery out of Notre Dame with their first and second round picks.
Then, they look to help James Conner. In the third-round of the draft, Draft Wire anticipates the Steelers looking at Kentucky running back, Benny Snell Jr.
It gets you thinking. Snell is one of the SEC’s best runners and continues to catch the attention of NFL scouts each week. The NFL Draft has been filled with incoming talent at the running back position, meaning there is no better time than now to take a chance on a runner.
You don’t remove Conner from the lineup, or even the starting spot. But having someone else in the backfield allows Pittsburgh to get a second chance on the ground when Conner isn’t clicking.
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They’ve seen what happens when the running game isn’t working. Only having one running back isn’t the best idea, especially in the NFL. Taking a chance on a rookie to play with Conner is an option. The real question is how soon is too soon to draft one.