With news of Lynch potentially unretiring, is he a fit with the Steelers?
During a recent CBS interview, longtime Seahawk and recently retired running back Marshawn Lynch claimed he would come out of retirement if the right team offered him a deal. With the Steelers’ recent running game-turning stale, could a fresh face be the fix that this team is looking for? With no disrespect to Lynch, who is a potential Hall of Famer down the road, the easy answer is no.
Now, if Lynch somehow was brought in, it would be as a reserve and a short-yardage back. It would seem very unlikely that a soon to be 35-year old running back would be signed out of retirement and be asked to start. This doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any value, as he is a proven power back in this league, and given the miscues in short-yardage and on the goal line for the Steelers, he could have a home there.
That said, his most recent outing last year with the Seahawks made him looked washed up more so than a potential contributor, even if as a short-yardage back only. Lynch only got 2.8 yards per carry in the one game he appeared in last season. He looked relatively washed up, which isn’t overly surprising given his age and career usage.
While his name has drawn the ire of Steelers nation recently, it seems apparent that Benny Snell, despite his struggles, is clearly the better option than Lynch. He is averaging more yards per carry (3.2) than Lynch did last year. As well, he is already in game shape having played for most of the season. At this point, Snell is a far better fit for this team than an aging Lynch would be.
Is it just who the Steelers use rushing the football?
This is the fix the Steelers really need, not adding a new face to the group. The past few weeks have seen the team utilize a horrible scheme for their runners, abandoning the unit early and relying on passing the ball instead. Throw in the fact that the offensive line has struggled to get much of a push, and suddenly you have a unit that is struggling as a whole. That isn’t to say Snell isn’t at fault, but there are more issues to blame besides just him.
Perhaps the biggest culprit is the usage of fullback Derek Watt, whose hefty contract for the position hasn’t paid many dividends. One would think that the team would use him as a lead blocker but usually split him out on the line. Either this is due to horrible play calling or Watt not practicing well as a lead blocker. Unfortunately, the likely answer is that he has struggled, and the team hasn’t been calling a smart game plan.
Thus, what would the Steelers gain from adding Lynch to the roster? If Snell is struggling in the same role, why would Lynch succeed? The team needs to get their game plan together before looking for a new runner this year in short yardage. The better replacement may be for Watt right now, as having a capable lead blocker would help this short-yardage unit far more than anything else. Thus, the team adding Lynch at this stage with these established issues would be a waste of time.
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