Jordan Todman

[WindyCitySteel]

68 career kickoff returns, 25.9 average.

Dri Archer averages 18.3 on 10 career returns.

Have we seen enough of this experiment? It's the only thing they're letting him do, and they have a much better option now.

[Ghost]

The team wouldn't miss Archer for a nano-second.

[steelsnis]

Problem with evaluating him as a kick returner is he doesn't get much of a chance to return kicks! This time of year, especially when the weather is warm and most teams kick it out of the endzone. Won't be able to truly evaluate until cooler weather when ball isn't traveling as far and he gets some real return opportunities.

[squidkid]

listen, archer was a great pick. with his speed, d coordinators are gonna have to game plan for him. he will lineup all over the field, running, receiving, reverses, trick plays, kick and punt returns.

[Ghost]

The other thing to consider is who's getting bumped from the roster after this week when Bell returns. And then you've got to get rid of another player 2 weeks later when Bryant returns.

If you do a position for position swap then either Archer or Todman goes for Bell and then rookie Tyler Murphy for Bryant. I guess you could go with 8 LBs instead of 9 and let Terence Garvin go. You could also let a fullback go. R. Nix is a luxury. I'm not seeing too many other candidates on the roster without letting a position group go thin to allow 2 players back on the team.

Archer is as insignificant a loss as anyone they could consider letting go.

[RuthlessBurgher]

The other thing to consider is who's getting bumped from the roster after this week when Bell returns. And then you've got to get rid of another player 2 weeks later when Bryant returns.

If you do a position for position swap then either Archer or Todman goes for Bell and then rookie Tyler Murphy for Bryant. I guess you could go with 8 LBs instead of 9 and let Terence Garvin go. I'm not seeing too many other candidates on the roster without letting a position group go thin to allow 2 players back on the team.

Archer is as insignificant a loss as anyone they could consider letting go.

I'd move Roosevelt Nix down to the P.S. for week 3, and Tyler Murphy to the P.S. for week 5.

[Ghost]

I just amended my post (I guess while you were typing) adding Nix to the list of cuts. Forgot they had 2 FBs.

[Slapstick]

If they aren't going to actually try to use Archer, then there really is no reason to keep him around.

[WindyCitySteel]

I'd move Roosevelt Nix down to the P.S. for week 3, and Tyler Murphy to the P.S. for week 5.

Nix is a beast on special teams. What does Archer offer? They're trying to justify his draft pick.

[feltdizz]

If they aren't going to actually try to use Archer, then there really is no reason to keep him around.

I think Haley believes Archer is in his plans but for some reason, he rarely used him.

When we move in from Archer another team will pick him up and use him properly out in space and we will cry about it.

[WindyCitySteel]

I think Haley believes Archer is in his plans but for some reason, he rarely used him.

When we move in from Archer another team will pick him up and use him properly out in space and we will cry about it.

Frustrating watching the Pats use those midgets so successfully. Ditto Philly with Sproles, Dallas with the guy that caught all the passes on their game winning drive.

Can Archer really not beat a linebacker in space?

[fezziwig]

Nix is a beast on special teams. What does Archer offer? They're trying to justify his draft pick.


Exactly. A tall blade of grass on the field can bring Archer down.

[feltdizz]

I think Haley believes Archer is in his plans but for some reason, he rarely used him.

When we move in from Archer another team will pick him up and use him properly out in space and we will cry about it.


Frustrating watching the Pats use those midgets so successfully. Ditto Philly with Sproles, Dallas with the guy that caught all the passes on their game winning drive.

Can Archer really not beat a linebacker in space?

gotta play him for more than 2 snaps a game to find out.

[steelfin]

gotta play him for more than 2 snaps a game to find out.


This......

[pittpete]

The team wouldn't miss Archer for a nano-second.

The Archer experiment should be over

[Slapstick]

The Archer experiment should be over

The Archer experiment hasn't even started.

[Mr.wizard]

I can't understand why people are so down on archer, we haven't even used the guy! I'm not sure what fans expected from him, always complaining he doesn't break tackles, as if the expectation of archer when he was drafted was that he would come in and be a bruising runner.

[SteelCrazy]

Archer has had his opportunities, but they are very limited. He is very capable of a wide variety of 80 yard runs, but the stars haven't been aligned as of yet.

[WindyCitySteel]

Archer doesn't even look special against scrubs in the preseason. When he gets a chance against the 1's, things close down real fast.

Have you ever seen a 4.2 runner look slower on a kick return?

There are no Delaware State's in the NFL.

[phillyesq]

Archer doesn't even look special against scrubs in the preseason. When he gets a chance against the 1's, things close down real fast.

Have you ever seen a 4.2 runner look slower on a kick return?

There are no Delaware State's in the NFL.

The Steelers blocking on KO returns is, and has been, awful. I suspect that Archer is likely to end up being another Chris Rainey, but he only returned one kick so far this year.

[Ghost]

I would love for Archer to be a successful weapon. That would mean the choice was not wasted and he's contributing to winning football. A giant win for everyone.

But so far that's not been the case. When he was taken in the 3rd, both Colbert and Tomlin specifically said it was b/c of his special teams and returning value. He's never been able to return punts (still risking injury to Brown, one of the top players on the entire team, back there because Archer can't do it). And even worse, he was so awful returning kicks last year that at one point the Steelers thought G. Blount was a better option. That's ridiculous.

They tried to give Archer a lot of snaps in the preseason and he did little to impress. People keep saying they haven't used him so we don't know. Maybe it's that they have continually tried to find ways to use him through 2 preseasons and a season (going into 2) of practices and he's simply not a workable solution. Do we really think Coach Haley has just drawn a complete blank when it comes to this one player or is the more plausible explanation that it's the player who's not meeting expectations?

[Slapstick]

I saw Archer score a TD that was called back for a completely unnecessary hold. I've seen Archer running wide open downfield without so much as a glance in his direction from the QB. When you only get 2 plays a game and that happens, what should he do?

[raycafan]

Just asking, how many preseason snaps did he get with the first "O" line and Ben. Could not have been many since they had a total of seven opportunities. But I am like you I have hoped he could be successful and used as a weapon. They have got to find some mismatch for him to exploit. Yet it does not appear likely, maybe a double reverse with AB handing it to him coming around. I know its trickery but it could be set up and may work. Anyway, heres hoping he can step up and perform.

[Djfan]

We were told that Archer was going to be pivitol in the game against the cheats. I saw nothing.

Just not getting the love affair with him. Great guy, not NFL material.

[squidkid]

funny how some defend coaches for not playing certain player. the excuse is, 'im sure the coaches see stuff in practice that warrants not getting any snaps on game day". or 'players have to earn their time and if they arent in, that means someone is better'.................yet in archers case, the fans wants to say the coaches havent given him a chance in games.......they want to blame the coach....hmmmmmm

[feltdizz]

funny how some defend coaches for not playing certain player. the excuse is, 'im sure the coaches see stuff in practice that warrants not getting any snaps on game day". or 'players have to earn their time and if they arent in, that means someone is better'.................yet in archers case, the fans wants to say the coaches havent given him a chance in games.......they want to blame the coach....hmmmmmm

regardless of what Steeler fans do you will be there to complain about them.

Who is your favorite team?

I have never seen someone hate in a fan base this much, it's impressive.

[feltdizz]

We were told that Archer was going to be pivitol in the game against the cheats. I saw nothing.

Just not getting the love affair with him. Great guy, not NFL material.

we were also told Gronk would be jammed at the LOS.

This staff is great at talking but they are pretty bad at following through... maybe it's smoke and mirrors.

[Slapstick]

I don't think it was the staff who said Archer would be key...it was a blogger...

[NorthCoast]

"I am excited for what 2015 could be for him," coach Mike Tomlin said several months ago at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. "I have a reasonable expectation that he's going to grow in all areas and be a productive player for us. Guys like him usually do that.”


“He is a good guy,” Tomlin said. “He is a smart guy. He is hard working. He has all the variables that usually produce a positive outcome. We are going to give him an opportunity to do it."


There are a lot of fast guys working at McDonald’s that can’t play this game,” Smith said. “Right now he thinks it’s about speed and as you know, it isn’t.”


These are pretty tepid endorsements of Archer by the coaching staff.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Good effort by Todman on his limited chance in the 9ers game. Don't remember anything out of Archer. I wonder how long they'll have him taking up a roster spot?

[Oviedo]

I would love for Archer to be a successful weapon. That would mean the choice was not wasted and he's contributing to winning football. A giant win for everyone.

But so far that's not been the case. When he was taken in the 3rd, both Colbert and Tomlin specifically said it was b/c of his special teams and returning value. He's never been able to return punts (still risking injury to Brown, one of the top players on the entire team, back there because Archer can't do it). And even worse, he was so awful returning kicks last year that at one point the Steelers thought G. Blount was a better option. That's ridiculous.

They tried to give Archer a lot of snaps in the preseason and he did little to impress. People keep saying they haven't used him so we don't know. Maybe it's that they have continually tried to find ways to use him through 2 preseasons and a season (going into 2) of practices and he's simply not a workable solution. Do we really think Coach Haley has just drawn a complete blank when it comes to this one player or is the more plausible explanation that it's the player who's not meeting expectations?

I was really pulling for Archer to be a significant play maker, but the fact the still have AB returning punts indicates the team's view of what he will be is fading. Todman will likely keep Archer on the bench for most of the season.

[Ghost]

Whether you believe it's Archer not performing or the coaching staff not utilizing his talents; it's getting hard to justify him being on the roster. He played 3 snaps of offense in the first game and 0 snaps against the 49ers. He's returned 1 kick-off in 2 games. With kickers these days it's just not nearly as important who's back there. Wheaton or Todman can return (or sit in the endzone and watch the ball go out...). I think it's telling that at the end of the game it was Todman who got in and got a carry. They are seeing what they have with him.

[papillon]

Whether you believe it's Archer not performing or the coaching staff not utilizing his talents; it's getting hard to justify him being on the roster. He played 3 snaps of offense in the first game and 0 snaps against the 49ers. He's returned 1 kick-off in 2 games. With kickers these days it's just not nearly as important who's back there. Wheaton or Todman can return (or sit in the endzone and watch the ball go out...). I think it's telling that at the end of the game it was Todman who got in and got a carry. They are seeing what they have with him.

I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly, the Steelers are going to have to make a move to make room for Le'Veon this week, so someone will be going to PS or released outright I would guess. I don't know who that will be, but I would have to think that Dri is one of the options.

Pappy

[phillyesq]

I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly, the Steelers are going to have to make a move to make room for Le'Veon this week, so someone will be going to PS or released outright I would guess. I don't know who that will be, but I would have to think that Dri is one of the options.

Pappy

I'd imagine that the choice comes down to Dri, Nix or Murphy. Take away draft status and Dri is likely the guy released. Even with him being a third round pick, it's still possible that he is released.

[Ghost]

Nix has been playing on kick offs and punts and is pretty good at getting down field. I'd keep him over Archer just on his ST play alone. I could see them dropping Murphy down to the PS (they have 2 WRs on the PS today) but they have to come up with another player to drop in 2 more weeks when Bryant comes back. It may be time to cut bait.

[papillon]

I'd imagine that the choice comes down to Dri, Nix or Murphy. Take away draft status and Dri is likely the guy released. Even with him being a third round pick, it's still possible that he is released.

Many fans believe (I'm one of them) that Dri was over drafted. I think the Steelers could have landed him two rounds later and even if they didn't it wouldn't have been that big of a loss. I'm not sure what they believed he was going to add to the offense that they felt they needed to grab him in the 3rd, but IMO it was a mistake. I was hoping for the best, but expecting very little.

Pappy