I personally believe Moore is back with the Steelers this season. No question in my mind, really.

Redman has enough experience. Dwyer has very little. Batch and Rainey have never even suited up for an NFL game before.

That is why, with this group, you will not see us "rotate the backs." Won't happen.

I believe it's going to be Batch vs. Rainey for that final place on the roster.

Once Moore is re-signed, you will see mainly Redman, with Dwyer and Moore mixed in. Batch or Rainey playing specialist roles.

Moore cut loose when Mendenhall is ready to go....or should I say "if" Mendenhall is ready to go.

_________________


The Betty White Watch:

Still unwanted by 32 NFL teams.

Pretty good on NBC though!

I don't think Moore will be back. He's getting older, slower, and two young guys make him redundant -- and both have the potential to be much better. It's a new offense, may as well get the young guys started now.

Redman
Dwyer
Batch
Rainey

I don't think there's a chance they risk Rainey on the PS. He was the fastest guy in the draft. Someone will pick him up.

Well, Rainey is more of a RB/receiver, so they could simply keep him as the 5th WR if necessary. I doubt he's in serious jeopardy, but Batch very well could be.

We're talking about going into this season with Dwyer (who has played around....um.....5 NFL games in his career? Is that right? Might even be a little high) and then 2 kids who have never, ever played in an NFL game.

I just don't see the Steelers doing that. Not for a second.

Also, while I'm not the world's biggest Mewelde Moore fan and didn't like the fact that he ABSOLUTELY SUCKED for 2 straight years and still kept his roster spot, I have to say the old bastard played very good football last season. Didn't look like he was slowing down to me.

We'll see what happens, but I don't believe for a second that the Steelers will go into the season with that tiny amount of experience in their backfield.

_________________


The Betty White Watch:

Still unwanted by 32 NFL teams.

Pretty good on NBC though!

The Steelers have a new offensive coordinator with a brand new playbook and Moore isn't signed for OTAs. He isn't studying the playbook. I don't think he's in their plans. I think he'll be available in October if they end up needing him, but I think they're going to move on with what they've got.

They realize they're entering perhaps the final 5-8 years of Ben's career. There's a brand new offense. It's as much of a rebuilding year as we've seen in some time. Hines and Arians are gone. Ben is the veteran leader on this offense now and it only makes sense to let some of Arians' players go. I just think it all adds up to an injection of youth at RB, just like they're doing on the OL.

I hope you're right and that angle makes sense, but that is a TON of inexperience at the RB position.

Now if Mendenhall can come back by say, week 6, then I agree that Moore may not be in their plans.

All I know is that these kids had better be damned impressive in camp and in the preseason, or I believe they'll be giving Redd Foxx a call very quickly.

_________________


The Betty White Watch:

Still unwanted by 32 NFL teams.

Pretty good on NBC though!

Rainey is a lock, unless he just muffs every punt and kick that comes his way this summer.

How he gets worked into the real O is another question. I personally can't wait to see what this dude can do on the field.

_________________
"I would challenge you to a battle of wits but I see you are unarmed."

i am excited to see big red get more opportunities, i think he will make the most of them but i would like to see what mendy can do behind this new OL but i would not push to get him back too early

one thing about mendenhall, people always say how he is a homerun threat, how many has he taken to the house in his career? like 2 long tds total, not very impressive, he always gets caught from behind, hes never showed that 4.4 forty speed he had at the combine, parker was a homerun threat, chris johnson is the same, hell arian foster is more of a homerun threat than mendenhall, hes not what you expect out of a first round rb, i think he has been a bit of a disappointment, ray rice seems to be a much better back taken a round later, foster was undrafted, it just makes one wonder maybe if healthy he will finally show he was worth a first round pick

At the same time, putting Rice behind the same line RM has been stuck with, & BA throwing in a run here and there, just to shut the fan base up? I think we'd label Rice a bust too, had he been drafted by the Steelers. Rice & Foster have there offenses tailored to them. The problem in Pittsburgh, it seems, is there was too much talent at the skill positions for BA to know exactly how to handle. He'd focus on 1 thing per game, passing or running...and feature that on a week by week basis, depending on opponent. I think & pray, Haley will know how to incorporate EVERY strength on O EVERY game. Couple BA's shortcomings with play calling & a less than shit OL, you get a guy that fans think is underperforming...I guess this season, if healthy, Mendy will prove me right or wrong. I think he's elite. I don't think he's had the playcalling or OL to showcse that so far.

_________________

I, for one, honestly believe that Ray Rice would have totally sucked behind the offensive line that Rashard Mendenhal has had to run behind these past 4 years. Mendenhal has done about as much as could be expected behind an inferior O-line, and an OC who did not know what to do with him.

Mendy only has 68 career catches. He averaged 8.8 yds a catch. Ray Rice averages 8.9 yds a catch. Mendenhal had fewer opportunities in the passing game but was more efficient and dangerous than Rice when thrown to. Mendy has a 20+ yard catch every 8th catch, whereas Rice only has a 20+ yard catch every 12th catch. There is a vast untapped potential for Mendy out of the backfield as a receiver but Arians never exploited it, really never tried.

Ray Rice, behind a much, much better O-line and fullbacks, has 27 runs over 20+ yards and 10 runs over 40+ yards.

Mendenhal, behind a shitty, injury-prone O-line and no fullbacks, has 23 runs over 20+ yards and 4 runs over 40+ yards with 146 less carries.

Ray Rice has 328 more combined catches/carries than Mendenhal, yet Mendy has 30 TDs to Rice's 29 TDs.

Yes, Rice is a great player but when you look at how Baltimore made him the focal point of the offense, and have always had a strong O-line, and have given him Fullbacks to block for him, it leaves me wanting to more. I am a bit in the camp that thinks he is a bit over-rated, at least compared to what Mendenhal has done with his handicaps (bad O-line, indifferent OC, no fullback, etc).

It is impossible to know how things would have played out if Rice were a Steeler and Mendenhal a Raven but let us daydream for a second.

Mendy had 30 TDs with us, with Baltimore and a better run supporting cast and commitment would he have scored 35, 40, 45 TDs?

Rice had 27 runs over 20+ yards with the Ravens. Mendy had 23 runs over 20+ yards as a Steeler, as a Raven might that number have been 30, 35? Even more?

I think the injury is great from the perspective that it will allow the Steelers to sign/extend him to a reasonable C2. I also think that he is still so young and that he kept himself is such great shape that he will be able to come back and play this season and do well. We don't need a single back to be a bell cow back who is going to play the entire game. What we need though is a RB who can play all 3 downs, who can do it all and give us flexibility. With Redman, Dwyer and Rainey you have RBs that are good at one, maybe 2 things but can't run, catch, block, that can't do all 3 things as well as Mendy. There is real value there in having a big RB who can do all those things and also has homerun potential. Defenses treat us differently with Mendy in there because of the size and speed he possesses.

This.

Basically summed up my last 2 posts (with much, much more detail) in 1, but people will actually read yours, lol.

_________________