In spite of the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers have at their disposal a running back who plays more snaps per game than any other in the league, they have also become used to not having his services available to them during the offseason.
It’s not a coincidence that the team worked to shore up their depth, retaining Fitzgerald Toussaint and Stevan Ridley from last season and drafting Jaylen Samuels this year, as second-year running back James Conner continues to develop.
Ridley is the most veteran of the group, and arguably the least experienced in playing a highly prominent role in the passing game, but he has said that the team and running backs coach James Saxon has made that a point of emphasis for his players this year.