The talk in Atlanta, and now a concern in Pittsburgh, is how Arthur Smith will use his running backs. If he’ll divide up the workload too finely, get too many people involved and leave his stars without enough touches to maximize their gameday impact.
But even though Bijan Robinson is no longer coached by Smith, he has nothing but good things to say about him. Appearing on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Robinson said he is grateful that Smith allowed him to do more than just carry the ball out of the backfield.
“For me, I played running back but I played other positions, too,” Robinson told hosts Taylor Lewan and Will Compton. “I played wide receiver, I played slot. I really appreciate Arthur Smith for doing that to me. With him doing that for me, now where I’m at, the game has slowed down so much. Instantly. Because I’m learning so many different things. From linebackers to coverages.”
Robinson was a highly touted prospect out of Texas and the rare running back in this modern age to be drafted in the top 10, selected seventh overall by the Falcons. While Smith and the Falcons came under fire for not using Bijan Robinson enough as a runner, giving him 20-plus carries just once his rookie season, they used him plenty in the passing game. He finished the year with 58 receptions for nearly 500 yards and four receiving scores, matching the same number he had as a runner.
Smith could do the same in Pittsburgh. For a Steelers team lacking receiver depth and having capable receivers in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, they could get flexed out. Harris caught 74 passes as a rookie and was a skilled receiver at Alabama. Warren has turned into a top third-down back who finished second on the team in receptions a year ago, his 61 just trailing George Pickens’ team-leading 63.
Though it’s speculated about every offseason and rarely ever used in the fall, perhaps the team will use Pony formations to get Harris and Warren on the field with one of them split out. It would be one way to utilize the best talent on the offense in a year where Pittsburgh must score more points.
