Bell hopes to play Week Two, Redman hopes to remain starter

Posted by Josh Alper

The Steelers running back situation heading into Week One looks different than most people imagined at the start of training camp.

Second-round pick Le’Veon Bell is out with a foot injury and Jonathan Dwyer has been released while Felix Jones has a spot on the roster after being acquired in a trade with the Eagles. On Monday, Bell said that he hopes to be ready to play in the second week of the season. That would be a much quicker return to action than originally anticipated, although one currently healthy member of the running back corps hopes he’ll be able to convince the Steelers to let him keep the job.

Scott Brown of ESPN.com reports that Isaac Redman said Monday that he’d be the starter against the Titans. Redman said that he’s planning on performing well enough to keep the team’s coaches from “wanting to put in anyone else” during the opener or later on down the road.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/09/02/leveon-bell-hopes-to-play-week-two-isaac-redman-hopes-to-remain-starter/

Quote :

Redman practices like starting RB, awaits official notification

By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Le'Veon Bell is hurt, Jonathan Dwyer is gone and Isaac Redman is ready to show he can be the Steelers' next workhorse halfback.

No coaches told him their plans at halfback for the opener Sunday against Tennessee at Heinz Field, but Redman assumes he will start and wants to erase any thoughts they might have of rotating backs the way they did in 2012.

"I go out there with the first team, do the first four reps, that's normally what the starter does," Redman said after practice Monday. "I'm just preparing as I'm the starter until they tell me otherwise."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/redman-practices-like-starting-rb-awaits-official-notification-701771/#ixzz2dnlkmjUO

The sooner Bell is the starter, the better chance we have of winning games. Redman is ok, but he is no way a full time starter. He is obviously too fragile for that. I hope he makes it through the first game without getting hurt. We might see Felix Jones very soon if fragile Redman doesn't hold up.

lvsteelersfan wrote:

The sooner Bell is the starter, the better chance we have of winning games. Redman is ok, but he is no way a full time starter. He is obviously too fragile for that. I hope he makes it through the first game without getting hurt. We might see Felix Jones very soon if fragile Redman doesn't hold up.

The reason Redman is starting is because Bell is injured. For the second time already. I don't think we should be too hard on Redman while Bell has been sidelined twice before he's even touched the ball in a regular season game. In comparison, Redman might end up being the durable one.  

I just don't want Bell to rush back and be constantly injured. It seems that ever since Bettis, the Steelers haven't had consistency at the RB position. I'd really like to see Bell break the tradition.