NFL Free Agency: Pittsburgh Steelers’ Visit With LeGarrette Blount Pushed To Friday
By Matt Shetler
One major need that Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert must still address in free agency is the lack of depth at the running back position.
Jan 11, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) runs against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half during the 2013 AFC divisional playoff football game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Currently the Steelers have only second-year pro Le’Veon Bell under contract in the backfield and that is something that Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin wants to see change in a hurry.
“We need to add quality depth to that position,” Tomlin said Sunday per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Le’Veon Bell is talented player but also a young player.”
With that being said, the team gets a chance to do exactly that on Friday when they play host to free agent running back LeGarrette Blount.
Blount was originally scheduled to visit the Steelers on Monday, but that visit has been pushed back to Friday, after the annual NFL meetings conclude. This way, Blount will get to meet with Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert, who are attending the meetings.
That alone could be a sign that the team is more interested in Blount than former Jacksonville Jaguars back Maurice Jones-Drew, who met with the Steelers last week, but left without a contract offer.
However, Tomlin added he “felt good” about last week’s meeting with MJD and is open to the possibility of signing him.
Other teams have interest in Blount, whose power running style could fit in well with the Steelers. One of those teams is reportedly the Baltimore Ravens.
Blount, 27, rushed for 772 yards and seven touchdowns last season for New England, which included 189 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in the regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills.
He increased his free-agent value even more when in a playoff victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Blount rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries.
The former Oregon standout has rushed for 2,711 yards and 20 touchdowns and has averaged 4.7 yards per carry for his career in four NFL seasons, having his best season as a rookie when he had 1,007 yards and six touchdowns for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.