Steelers encouraged by a more svelte Benny Snell who is vying for bigger role in Pittsburghs offense
is following in familiar footsteps. Six years ago, enjoyed a breakout sophomore season with the after shedding weight during the offseason. Four years later, , the team's current starter, followed suit, earning Pro Bowl honors after significantly improving his conditioning during the offseason.Snell, by all accounts, has done the same during the 2020 offseason. While it's only been a week, the Steelers are impre sed from what they've seen from their second-year running back during training camp. Snell, who last season checked in at 5-foot-10 and 224
Tyler Adams Jersey pounds, looks noticeably more fit as he looks to earn more playing time in Pittsburgh's backfield this season."Yes, it is true, Benny looks better," Steelers running back coach Eddie Faulkner recently said, . "He has done a lot of running, you can see the work he has put in. The exciting part about it is he did it while being away from us, so you know he had a focus on getting right and getting in the best shape that he can. So, I am excited about Benny. That is a guy that is pa sionate and loves the game."Snell, who left the Wildcats' program as the school's career rushing leader, had nearly identical numbers as Conner last season despite receiving only two starts. Snell made the most of those two starts, rushing for 98 yards
Germany National Team Jersey and a score in a win over the before gaining 91 yards and a touchdown in the team's season finale
Neymar Jr. Jersey against the . His hard-nosed running earned him praise from his coach, Mike Tomlin, near the end of Pittsburgh's Week 14 win over Arizona.Coach Tomlin was quick to remember why he drafted . is available now on . Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL) This season, the Steelers want to see marked improvement from Snell as it relates to his pa s protection and understanding route concepts. Snell, who recently said that conditioning was a big focus for his offseason, shared one of the key things he learned during his rookie season."The biggest le son I learned is you have to forget about the negative plays or the negative things that try to affect your play when you are on the field," . "I learned really fast in the NFL you have to be a kind of forget guy. It's always about moving on to the next play and staying focused on winning the game and the long haul of the season."Snell has clearly put himself in position to be the Steelers' No. 2 running back heading into Pittsburgh's season-opener against the . In order to do that, however, Snell will have to beat out , a third-year veteran who finished second on the team in receptions last season. The Steelers also
Pelé Jersey have high hopes for rookie Jr., a speedy player who averaged 6.7 yards per carry during his two seasons at Maryland.A big season for Snell could lead to him being the Steelers' starting running back in 2021, as Conner is entering the final year of his rookie contract. And while an increased role from Snell could impact his future in Pittsburgh, Conner is excited to see how big of an impact his teammate can have on the Steelers -- who finished 30th in the NFL in rushing last season -- in 2020."He is a very talented runner," Conner recently said
C.F. Monterrey Jersey of Snell. "He looks focused this year. You can tell he put in a lot of work in the offseason. He looks slim, fast, eager to learn. He looks ready, you know. I'm excited for him. He looks fast. He's in shape. There will be big things coming from him."