Running back

Pittsburgh Steelers This is the next in a series that looks at every Pittsburgh Steelers position on offense and defense with training camp approaching. Pittsburgh Steelers Our second look is at running back. Pittsburgh Steelers Returning starter, Le'Veon Bell. The former Michigan State standout established himself as the Steelers' feature back last season despite missing the first three games of his rookie season with a mid-foot sprain. Pittsburgh Steelers Bell's all-around skills translated into the 2013 second-round pick gaining 1,259 rushing and receiving yards combined. Pittsburgh Steelers That broke the team record for yards from scrimmage by a rookie previously held by Franco Harris. Even with the upgrades the Steelers have made at the position, Pittsburgh Steelers Bell is still clearly their No. 1 back. Pittsburgh Steelers New faces: LeGarrette Blount and Dri Archer. Blount signed a two-year, $3.85 million contract in March after emerging as the New England Patriots' best running back in the latter part of last season. The 6-feet, 250-pounder provides more thump to the backfield, while Archer, a third-round pick, adds sheer speed. The 5-8, 173-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds at the NFL scouting combine in February, posting the fastest time in that test. On the bubble: Alvester Alexander. The former undrafted free agent spent all of last season on the Steelers' practice squad. That may give the 5-11, 213-pounder an advantage over the handful of players who will compete for a roster spot assuming the Steelers keep four running backs. They could go with just Bell, Blount and Archer and stash a running back on the practice squad. By the numbers: Only four NFL teams averaged less rushing yards per game than the 86.4 that the Steelers mustered last season. They also ranked near the bottom of the league in yards per carry as the Steelers gained 3.5 yards per tote in 2013. Only two teams averaged less than that per rushing attempt. Did you know: Only two players have rushed for at least 1,000 yards since Mike Tomlin took over as head coach in 2007. Willie Parker rushed for 1,316 yards in Tomlin's first season while Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 1,108 yards in 2009 and 1,273 in 2010. Quotable: “He felt disrespected by that as he should. Like I told him we just have to go out there and prove it and show people what we're ready to do and get the running game back to how it should be.” Bell on Blount taking issue with the Steelers' not being included on an NFL Pittsburgh Steelers list of the league's top 10 backfields. Outlook: It will be interesting to see how the division of labor shakes out with the Steelers trying to feature Bell in the offense while also finding touches for Blount and Archer. Two of the three could play together in different packages given their respective skill sets. Pittsburgh Steelers And the trio provides offensive coordinator Todd Haley with an opportunity to get creative with his running backs. Pittsburgh Steelers What is certain is the Steelers are much better equipped to deal with an injury to Bell this season and that they've significantly improved their overall talent at running back, Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Pittsburgh steelers Haley

Pittsburgh Steelers As excited as the Steelers’ offensive linemen are by the addition of Mike Munchak, Pittsburgh Steelers their enthusiasm may be trumped by someone else at team headquarters. Pittsburgh Steelers “Really nobody was happier when Coach (Mike) Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Kevin Colbert and Mr. Rooney were able to pull off getting him to come on board," Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said of the Steelers' new offensive line coach. Pittsburgh Steelers "He’s a great teacher. He’s great at what he does, the best in the league in my opinion. He seamlessly transitioned into our staff. He's a stud.” Haley and Munchak join Dick LeBeau as three former NFL head coaches on Tomlin’s staff, giving it some heft. And Haley has good reason to be thrilled that Munchak will mentor and mold the Steelers’ offensive line this season. The line came together at the end of last season and is still young with left guard Ramon Foster, who is only 28, the oldest projected starter up front. Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey returns after missing most of last season with a torn ACL, and the line will be counted on to keep quarterback Ben Roethlisberger upright and open holes for running backs Le'Veon Bell, LeGarrette Blount and Dri Archer. Stellar offensive line play has often eluded the Steelers during Tomlin’s tenure, and some of that can be blamed on injuries. But with Munchak, a Pro Football Hall of Fame guard, pulling everything together the Steelers’ line could be poised to lead the way for an offense that averaged just under 28 points in its final eight games in 2013. Pittsburgh Steelers “Not all great players are great coaches. Pittsburgh Steelers But he’s definitely one of those great players that transitioned into being a great coach,” Haley said. Pittsburgh Steelers “The head coaching experience is a benefit because he doesn’t just see it from his position group or his perspective. Pittsburgh Steelers He sees the big picture, which I take pride in doing, having been there. Pittsburgh Steelers He is a very good teacher that believes in hard work, like we all do. Pittsburgh Steelers Great players want to be coached. They want to be pushed to see how good they can be, Pittsburgh Steelers and these guys are eating it up,” Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers team pratice

The offense and defense traded big plays Wednesday in the Pittsburgh Steelers' second minicamp practice of the week. Ben Roethlisberger threw long touchdown passes to Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton during a two-plus hour practice, but the Steelers' defensive backs also had their moments on a hot and humid day that it made it feel like training camp. Starting cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen each intercepted Roethlisberger. Allen had a pair of picks while inside linebacker Sean Spence returned an intercepted Landry Jones pass for a touchdown. Practice concluded with rookie wide receiver Martavis Bryant showcasing his speed by blowing past the Steelers' defensive backs and hauling in a long touchdown pass from Jones. That play, free safety Mike Mitchell said, ultimately allowed the offense to get the better of the defense, though it was close. "They ended with a high note," Mitchell said. "It would have been nice to knock that ball down but we're battling. I think we've been playing really good in the secondary as a unit. We're all kind of learning each other's strengths and what each other likes to do. We're getting better." Also of note from Wednesday: Justin Brown continues to get work with the first-team offense, and the 2013 sixth-round pick stood out during a 7-on-9 pass drill. Brown caught a long pass from Roethlisberger and then capped the drive with a short touchdown reception. Roethlisberger is optimistic Dri Archer will help the offense but he isn't sure how the Steelers will deploy the fleet-footed rookie. Archer, Roethlisberger said, has been splitting time between playing running back and wide receiver. The third-round draft pick has also been among the players who have fielded punts during offseason practices. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers are hoping to get more out of Archer than they did Chris Rainey, a fifth-round pick in 2012 who lasted just one season in Pittsburgh. "Is he a better runner than Rainey?" Roethlisberger said. "We won't really know until we get some pads on and get on the field." Outside linebacker Jason Worilds, who practiced on a limited basis of a lingering calf injury, is a good example of how much younger the Steelers have gotten on defense in recent years. Worilds turned just 26 in March, but he is one of the more experienced players on the Steelers' defense. "I'm one of the elders in the room now," Worilds said. Pittsburgh Steelers "It's an interesting role to be in. Pittsburgh Steelers I'm just helping some of the younger guys, making sure they know how to go about being a professional and taking care of themselves." Pittsburgh Steelers

##Dri Archer has big chip on his shoulder

Steelers third-round pick Dri Archer, a running back/receiver who clocked a 4.26 forty at the NFL Combine, will never forget that Kent State was the only school to offer him a scholarship.
"I used nobody else offering me a scholarship as a chip on my shoulder,” Archer told the team's website. "I always play with a chip on my shoulder and try to show the world what they missed out on. Kent was lucky enough to have me on their team. There are always going to be people that doubt you. They tell me I am too small. I am too short. I am not going to be able to play college football and I did that. They told me I wouldn’t make it to the pros and I got drafted. I just play with a chip on my shoulder now to try and prove everyone wrong.

"I like being told those things. It motivates me. It makes me want to grind harder and try to motivate myself."
A 5-8, 173-pounder, Archer caught 99 passes for 1,194 yards and 12 touchdowns in 21 games at Kent State. He ran for 2,342 yards and 24 scores and returned four kickoffs for touchdowns.