Steelers running back Benny Snell didn’t exactly look special as a rookie. Here’s why he could take a big leap in his second year for Pittsburgh.
The Steelers had a lot of question marks with their running game prior to the start of the 2018 season. Le’Veon Bell still had not reported to the team and withheld his intentions to sit out the entire season due to a contract dispute. Fortunately, James Conner stepped up in a big way.
Though Conner didn’t quite have the running patience or route running finesse as Bell, he was a Pro Bowler in his own right and had an incredible season in 2018 in his first year as a starter. However, that success may not translate long term for the loveable Pittsburgh running back.
Conner has missed multiple games in each of his first three seasons – last year missing 6 games alone. With an expiring contract after the 2020 season, it’s unclear whether or not he will return to the team.
Is Benny Snell the answer for Steelers?
This brings us to Benny Snell. As a rookie last year, Snell was less than impressive. Though he would power through the defensive line with the occasional impressive run, his lack of speed and explosion was evident.
However, the Benny Snell we saw in 2019 may not be the same one the Steelers are going to get in 2020. There’s plenty of reason to believe he will take a leap forward this year.
For starters, James Conner couldn’t praise Snell enough for how impressive he looks in training camp. Here’s what Conner had to say, according to Tribune-Review reporter, Chris Adamski:
"“He’s real focused this year. You can tell he put in a lot of work during the offseason. He’s slim, fast, eager to learn. He looks ready. I’m excited for him. He looks fast, he’s in shape. Big things coming from him.”"
This shouldn’t come as a total surprise, as we’ve seen these same improvements from Steelers running backs after their rookie season.
In 2013, Le’Veon Bell was drafted as a 230 pound running back. Over 13 starts as a rookie, Bell averaged just 3.5 yards per carry. After a full offseason of NFL conditioning, Bell cut weight for his second season where he bumped his average up to 4.7 yards per carry.
Snell appears to be on track to make a similar transformation of his body in year two. As a 21-year-old true junior coming out of college, Snell has yet to reach his physical peak. Still, the bruising running back was able to average nearly 4.0 yards per carry last season despite a quarterback who could take defenders out of the box.
A transformed body with a little extra speed and burst can make a lot of difference for a running back, and we saw those transitions in both Bell and Conner. Snell could be the next to take the second-year leap.
While it’s possible that Conner could be offered a contract extension after the 2020 season, it’s good to hear that Benny Snell is really getting himself in peak condition. If he shows promise this year, he could end up being the lead dog in the backfield for the Steelers in 2021.