With Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Le\’Veon Bell currently sidelined with a mid-foot sprain, head coach Mike Tomlin was asked Thursday on the evening edition of Steelers Live if running back Jonathan Dwyer would be the next man up Saturday night in the third preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“You know; it\’s just that time of year,” said Tomlin. “I don\’t have great clarity about the next man right now. We got some candidates that are dealing with minor bumps and bruises that are associated with the preseason. Isaac Redman will get the nod if he\’s able to go. He\’s experiencing a stinger or two right now. LaRod Stephens-Howling has an MCL sprain – grade one – not significant. Those guys are working in a partial capacity. If they\’re unable to go, then Jonathan will get an opportunity.”
As you can clearly tell by Tomlin\’s comments, Dwyer was listed third behind both Isaac Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling as far as his listed pecking order goes for Saturday night. Now that running back Felix Jones has since been acquired via a Friday morning trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, you have to wonder if even he might now be ahead of Dwyer as well.
Dwyer, like Redman, is set to earn $1.323 million this season if he makes the roster. I have stated all offseason how I thought the two could be battling for one spot on the 53 man roster, and it still appears that is the case even with Bell sidelined.
This running back battle is far from other right now and even got a little more interesting on Friday with the addition of Jones. Despite all that has happened up until right now, Dwyer is still not a lock to make the final 53 man roster.
