Mendenhall may have played his last snap as a Steeler

[SteelCrazy]

A month ago, Steelers G.M. Kevin Colbert provided a gloomy outlook for running back Rashard Mendenhall’s recovery from a January 1 ACL tear. Colbert said the Steelers wouldn’t count on Mendenhall to be ready for Week One, and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review subsequently reported Mendenhall would open the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

After speaking to team sources, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has an even more pessimistic view of Mendenhall’s future.

Bouchette suggests Mendenhall has taken “his last carry” in Pittsburgh, and that he might not play at all in 2012.

Sources told the Post-Gazette that the Steelers don’t believe Mendenhall will return to form “until at least the 2013 season,” and by that point Mendenhall may have signed elsewhere. Due a $700,000 salary in the final year of his rookie deal, Mendenhall’s contract expires next March.

If this is it for Mendenhall’s Steelers tenure, it will end disappointingly. The 23rd pick in the 2008 draft did churn out two 1,000-yard seasons, but Mendenhall holds a pedestrian career average of 4.14 yards per carry and drew the ire of the Steelers’ organization in May of 2011. Mendenhall never seemed to improve after a promising 2009 season. His development in the passing game has plateaued in recent years, and on several occasions last season the Steelers’ offense operated more smoothly with Isaac Redman in the backfield.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/19/mendenhall-may-have-played-last-snap-as-a-steeler/[/URL]

[focosteeler]

if Mendy is gone the only guy left from that draft class is Mundy....what a baaaaaaad draft

[hawaiiansteel]

if Mendy is gone the only guy left from that draft class is Mundy....what a baaaaaaad draft

we could always give Limas Sweed another chance...

[Lebsteel]

At the time of that draft, I was sure that it was going to be a great draft class with Mendy and then somehow getting Sweed in Rd. 2. MAYBE our scouting was not as good as most others...or maybe it was just bad luck. I even thought Davis, Hills and Dixon were great picks. WOW! A horrible draft!

[Jaxsontheman]

Mendenhall is a bum sorry to say but the dude never ran north and south. He just run 3 feet and then he would just dance in place and he didn't run like that he wouldnt have torn his ACL...

[squidkid]

Mendenhall is a bum sorry to say but the dude never ran north and south. He just run 3 feet and then he would just dance in place and he didn't run like that he wouldnt have torn his ACL...

he liked to run his mouth

[Djfan]

This info is obvious. If anyone didn't see this coming I would be surprised.

[Chadman]

he liked to run his mouth

No he didn't. Where did you dig this up from?

[TD386Steel]

No he didn't. Where did you dig this up from?

I think he's talking about the Osama Ben Laden comments which didnt sit well with ownership

[D Rock]

No he didn't. Where did you dig this up from?

It was never really the mouth. He did run his fingers though.