The way Pro Football Weekly hears it, the fact that the Steelers waited until Round Seven to draft a running back could be a good sign for second-year pro Jonathan Dwyer, who could move up in the pecking order at the position if Mewelde Moore (who’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent) departs.
Moore (33 carries, 26 catches in 2010) and Isaac Redman (52 carries, nine catches) were the primary backups to Rashard Mendenhall last season.
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DrGeorge
May 23, 2011 at 9:54 am
Mewelde Moore at 29 may appear expendable, but his talents would be hard to replace: he has good hands as a receiver, he blocks well, he is more elusive than Mendenhall, he runs low, and he rarely fumbles. He deserved more playing time last season than he got. Given his age, Moore will not be expensive to re-sign, and his versatility will make him very hard to beat out.
Neither Dwyer nor Baron Batch (our 7th round draft pick) have demonstrated the full range of talents required of a pro RB. Nor do either of them have exceptional speed or exceptional size (the qualities lacking in our backfield since the departure of Parker and Bettis). Dwyer played well the few times he got a chance to play, but we have yet to see him play against first team defensive talent. Batch was a good college RB, but not an outstanding one; why we drafted him at all remains a mystery.
With this speculative article, Pro Football Weekly seems more interested in building readership than reporting a likely change in personnel.
Jay
May 24, 2011 at 3:35 pm
I dunno, Doc, your assessment of Moore is extremely liberal and laudatory. I am not sure I agree with all of it because, in my humble opinion, a scat back or (Jahvid Best) type needs to be all of the things you applaud Moore for but to a much higher degree. I feel this way because, if you are only going to use this type of back sporadically, then he better be able to take it to the house at any given moment. Why do you think the Lions (who, btw, had the best draft and have garnered much warranted recognition and accolades for their personnel decision since Millen left) drafted that Mikel Leshore (225 lb.) back? HE, not Best, will be the workhorse and Best will come in and get roughly ten touches per game; that any one of them can be seriously detrimental to opposing defenses!!!! If Moore gets ten touches per game, I GUARANTEE you that opposing defenses both don’t care and are not losing sleep. Yeah he’s okay, but the NFL has evolved to the point where it’s not good enough simply having a “okay” scat -type of back. We need to remember that the Steelers made it to Super Bowl(s) because there are like 7 players on their defense (Kiesel, Smith, Hampton, Harrison, Farrior, Polamalu and Taylor) who have “big” contracts or their second or third contracts, two other young phenoms (Timmons and Woodley) coming up on contract extensions and a top five QB! When you make it to a point in the NFL where you get a “big” or second or third contract, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a STAR but it does mean that the powers that be believe you’re good enough to pay guaranteed money to. That builds, among other things, chemistry, continuity, cohesion, confidence and clutch performances (that’s a lot of C’s)! Maybe, maybe with that being said, Moore works for us but I would much rather see the Steelers go out and get a scat-type of back who has “house” ability on any given play. Even if you have to develop him (Batch), so be it!