Steelers’ LeGarrette Blount happy to complement Le’Veon Bell
By Mike Dyce
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount. Pairing Blount with Le’Veon Bell in the backfield creates a pretty dangerous tandem of running backs in an era where that seems to be a position played by a committee instead of one featured back.
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It does beg the question of who will be the starter and who will be the complimentary back? Blount had a pretty solid 2014 season running for 772 yards on 153 carries during the regular season and adding a 166-yard, four-touchdown performance in New England’s playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Still, it could be Bell’s team and position, and Blount is fine with that.
“I feel like every running back in this league wants to be a starter,” Blount said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Obviously I want to start, and I knew that when I went to New England. I wasn’t the starting guy. When I come here, I know I’m not the starting guy. But you work hard and go out there and do everything as though you are the starter. Sometimes it plays out that way, sometimes it doesn’t. I like Le’Veon. I like his running style. He rushed for 800-plus yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. I wouldn’t mind complementing him at all.”
Bell got more carries than Blount in 2014, carrying the ball 244 times for 860 yards, which seems to indicate that the more efficient and effective Blount could be the better option. Despite whoever gets the “starter” label, both will be used in the offense and get their touches.