Coach Mike Tomlin spent a portion of the first real live press conference in more than a year talking about how the Steelers have spent the offseason fixing aspects of the running game.
He mentioned addressing schematics and formations because, after back-to-back years of basically having the NFL’s worst running game, they “need to be improved.”
There is one more step to come. And that is likely to begin Thursday on the first day of the NFL draft.
“Let's be clear, the improvements in the running game go beyond just the acquisition of additional players,” Tomlin said. “We're capable of performing better than we have, players aside. Schematics, formations, the things that we do to give ourselves a strategic advantage need to be improved, and that's some of the things that we're working on.”
But there is no question the Steelers are in search of a No. 1 running back, a desire made even more acute when they elected not to retain James Conner, their starter for the past three seasons.
While they already have three running backs on their roster from last season — Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland and Jaylen Samuels, not to mention adding free agent Kalen Ballage from the Miami Dolphins — none of them are considered to be the type of featured player they covet.
General manager Kevin Colbert said the Steelers aren’t concerned that running backs are considered a risky value in the first round of the draft. Or that only eight have been selected in the first round the past five years, including just two the past two seasons.
The Steelers are only concerned with finding “dynamic” players, and if that’s a running back, so be it. However, he added the Steelers “are not looking at any one position” in the draft and they will be “wide open” as to who they select with the 24th overall pick.
“I don't think you can ever underestimate the value of a quality player at any position, and running back is no different,” Colbert said Monday during a joint press conference with Tomlin at Heinz Field — the first live meeting with the media in more than a year because of the pandemic. “I understand that the game has changed. It's a more horizontal game than it is a vertical game and people don't play traditional football as really coach and I grew up, with two-back sets and power games and so on and so forth. It has changed.
“But if you have a dynamic player at any position, that player should make a difference. Running back is no different. I think if you look at the Hall of Fame runners, most of those guys were taken in high rounds.”
Colbert said there is good depth in the draft at running back, starting with Najee Harris and Travis Etienne and continuing with Javonte Williams, Michael Carter and Trey Sermon. He also said offensive line, wide receiver, inside and outside linebacker and cornerback are positions with good depth.
The Steelers, though, are also in need of a starting center after the retirement on nine-time Pro Bowler Maurkice Pouncey. And Colbert said that draft group is “unusually deep,” as well.
However, only seven centers have been drafted in the first round since the Steelers took Pouncey with the 18th overall pick in 2010.
“Usually the centers, there aren't a lot of centers in a given draft,” Colbert said. “But we feel good there's quality centers in this draft that we think are starter capable, and it's unusual for that position.”
Colbert said he is “very doubtful” Steelers will trade up in the first round because they have only eight picks, five of which are in the top 140.
But he did not discount trading down if the Steelers aren’t “comfortable” with the players who are still on the board. Trading down would make sense if it allowed the Steelers to move up from the 55th spot in the second round, plus pick up an additional draft choice.
However, if the Steelers traded down in the first round, they might have to find a partner with an AFC North team. Three of the eight picks behind them belong to the Cleveland Browns (No. 26) and Baltimore Ravens (Nos. 27 and 31).
But even that wouldn’t be without precedent. The Steelers gave the Browns a third-round choice in the 2014 draft to move up in the fourth round in 2013 to take safety Shamarko Thomas.
“We're always going to value quality over quantity, but if we're not comfortable with what we're looking at the 24th pick, we'll trade back,” Colbert said. “Do we want to do it with a division team? That wouldn't be our preference, but we won't discount that completely because we have to weigh what the potential trade-back will do for us and not worry about where those picks may go.”
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com and Twitter @gerrydulac.
First Published: April 26, 2021, 4:17 p.m.
