Running Back Strategy for '14 camp

I know a lot of you are worried about depth at running back heading into the 2014 season however I don't want to talk about that in as much as that's all we focus on. The draft and fre agency signings will play out however they play out. This thread will be about what strategy they employ in camp as they move towards the season. There is a new RB coach with the departure of Kirby Wilson so things might change, however Mike Tomlin is still the coach and so he will influence how they approach camp and preseason.

We know starters will get limited reps in preseason games and they will use the rest of the time to evaluate players and see where they fall in terms of making the 53 and their roles on the team but should they limit Bell's snaps in the preseason? Last season the limited Dwyer and Redman preferring to rest them and give the younger guys like Bell time to make an impact. We all know how that turned out, an almost non existent running game with Dwyer on the streets, Redman injured and out of Coach Tomlin's favor, Bell hampered by a late preseason injury and left at the hands of lesser running backs until someone was well enough to carry the load. The presumed starters last year were both guys that need multiple carries to establish themselves much like Bettis in as much as they weren't effective in the first but as the game progressed got stronger when feed the ball but that is where the similarity ends. Bell showed flashes in camp and made good on them when he got back to form.

So going forward will they rest Bell knowing that behind will be question marks and they don't want to risk injury to a the feature back, do they give him enough work to find him in midseason condition? Do they spend all camp looking for backups or starter quality like last years disastrous punter search? What will be the plan? again until the draft and free agency play out there are no definitive indicators but what is everyone's gut feeling.

 

He will have a voice in who he wants to see get more real game time snaps versus practice time. The reason I brought it up is I'm not really sure how much of sitting Redman/Dwyer or other starters was Wilson pushing for it or how much was Tomlin saying those guys don't need reps early to work on chemistry with Ben and the Oline. Even the small coaching changes will bring a influx of new ideas and maybe a changing of how things are done.

 

carlos and dri archer, with some alvester thrown in for good measure. 3 yards and a cloud of dust and pizz goodell off. once we beat there brains in we unleash the flash on em. 3 TE's and will j.

 

Week 1 Dwyer 6 carries Howling 7 carries
Week 2 Dwyer 14 carries Alexander 5 carries
Week 3 Jones 8 carries Dwyer 8 carries
Week 4 Jones 14 Carries Dwyer 6

Maybe my math is off, but it sure looks like Dwyer had more carries than anyone else on the team and it wasn't even close.

 

If they draft 2 running backs that would be a mistake, too many needs on defense.

 

why? we have a new NT and a starter, 2 DE's, 2 new FS's plus depth, 2 starting OLB's and at least one for depth, 3 ILB'ers and possibly 2 more for depth, signed ike and troy back. we have 1 RB. one of those two i have mentioned can play RB,WR and be the returner. 3 needs we have. we have at least 8 draft picks coming.