Le’Veon Bell, James Conner, and Knile Davis are locks for the top three running back spots on the depth chart. However, the emergence of another player could force the Pittsburgh Steelers to go with four. Terrell Watson earned his roster spot Saturday night against the Indianapolis Colts, in a most physical fashion. He is competing with Fitzgerald Toussaint for a job, and has proven to be the better of the two. Watson has clearly out performed Davis, racking up 40 yards rushing and 42 yards receiving against the Colts compared to Davis’ 21 yards rushing and one reception.
Terrell Watson Earned His Roster Spot With Solid Second Half Against The Colts
Since breaking all of Christian Okoye‘s records at Azusa Pacific University, Watson’s been looking for an NFL home. The Steelers are smart enough to provide him with one. In three quarters of play, Watson has 18 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown. He’s the Steelers second leading rusher this preseason, despite limited playing time. When he touches the ball, Watson is averaging over four yards per carry, and 10.5 yards per reception.
Watson’s greatest asset is his power, which is complemented by surprising speed. He is a downhill runner who can create yards on his own effort. He’s been hit by defenders at the line of scrimmage on just under half of his total carries, hinting at advanced vision combined with speed, a potent skill set for running backs.
Watson has managed to pick up at least two or three yards each run. One attempt went for eight yards after he broke three tackles. Watson has done an excellent job of running behind an inferior offensive line. His efforts should earn him an opportunity to run with the first team.
Watson’s Clearly a Better Option Than Toussaint
Watson is much more physical than Toussaint. He has earned the right to a roster spot by using size to his advantage. He has a running style that is comparable to Byron Morris and Jerome Bettis. Watson gets stronger with each carry, and he gains more yardage as the defense wears down. As the game went on, Colts defenders were less inclined to tackle him, getting up slower after each impact with Watson.
Toussaint is a liability in the running game. He doesn’t wear defenses down, power his way through tackles, or grind out the tough yards like Watson can. Watson’s value far outweighs Toussaint’s. If the Steelers cut Watson, they will regret it.
Receiving ability and Bell’s health is another important factor to consider. First, Watson has shown the ability to evolve into a successful pass receiving back. While the Steelers have a talented receiving corps, Bell has been worked in as an essential target for Ben Roethlisberger.
Should Bell be hurt at some point this season (recall, NFL players who hold out have a propensity to fall to injury), the Steelers will need a running back to work into the normal game flow. Watson is not Bell’s talent, but he can grow to be a minimalist running back in Todd Haley’s offense and allow for the full playbook to be utilized.
Watson will never make it to the practice squad, despite his limited game film. Watson would be quickly signed by another team due to a plethora of injuries to running backs around the league. Mike Tomlin will benefit greatly by keeping Watson on the roster, and by the end of the season, he will be glad he did.
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