Dwyer signs with

[steelerkeylargo]

Pittsburgh West. 1 year deal

[thor75]

big shocker

[Shoe]

Do we still have Stephen Howling?

[Moonie]

Can we get Mendy back then?

[hawaiiansteel]

Pittsburgh West. 1 year deal

Arizona Cardinals sign ex-Steelers RB Jonathan Dwyer to a one-year contract

By Neal Coolong on Mar 12 2014



You know how this goes...Steelers West. After the Cardinals spent the last year with Rashard Mendenhall, they pick up another former Steelers running back in Jonathan Dwyer.

We're beyond the Steelers West jokes.

The Cardinals are not beyond signing Steelers free agents. The most recent foray into ex-Black-and-Golds centers around their running backs, with Jonathan Dwyer having signed a 1-year deal with the team.

The Cardinals, under former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, brought in Rashard Mendenhall via free agency in 2013. He retired after one season there.

Dwyer was released by the Steelers after training camp last season, but was signed back after injuries and a lack of production hit their running backs group. It didn't matter much, Dwyer didn't get many carries in the Le'Veon Bell-centered running game.

The fact he signed a one year contract suggests faith in Dwyer isn't particularly high, or perhaps simply the saturation of free agent running backs on the market. He's one of the first running backs to have signed this offseason, and clearly is not the most productive one available.

His potential is high enough to think he may actually reach the mark many Steelers fans thought he would. Then again, no Cardinals who were once Steelers have amounted to much in the desert.

[URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2014-steelers-free-agency/2014/3/12/5502832/arizona-cardinals-sign-jonathan-dwyer-nfl-free-agency-2014-steelers[/URL]

[Ernie]

Im gonna go against the grain here and say we should have kept him.. I know he had some issues early, but I saw him really turn the corner this year..even though he was pretty limited. Now we are pretty thin at RB also.

[Shawn]

Im gonna go against the grain here and say we should have kept him.. I know he had some issues early, but I saw him really turn the corner this year..even though he was pretty limited. Now we are pretty thin at RB also.

Even though I'm not Dwyer fan, I agree with you. What happens if Bell goes down?

[Ghost]

I always wished he could have been more. It's a shame it took him multiple years to understand being in the NFL takes a lot of hard work and no just showing up. With that said, he seemed like a really nice guy and he was very gracious when he tweeted out about leaving: "@Steelers - thank you for everything to the staff the Rooneys first clas organization and once a Steeler always a Steeler # SteelerNation"

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Im gonna go against the grain here and say we should have kept him.. I know he had some issues early, but I saw him really turn the corner this year..even though he was pretty limited. Now we are pretty thin at RB also.

pretty sure that's not against the grain. There is a fairly high percentage of that wanted him as a backup. I worry now, we'll be stuck with Felix Jones and LSH.

[phillyesq]

I would have liked to see Dwyer return in a backup role. He was a solid pass blocker and effective enough in short spurts as a backup RB.

There are plenty of FA options, including:

- Andre Brown
- Brian Leonard
- Tashard Choice
- James Starks
- Ronnie Brown

I think the Steelers add one low-level veteran at the position and draft a backup. If he is healthy, I'm also fine with LSH returning as a backup.

[K Train]

I would have liked to see Dwyer return in a backup role. He was a solid pass blocker and effective enough in short spurts as a backup RB.

There are plenty of FA options, including:

- Andre Brown
- Brian Leonard
- Tashard Choice
- James Starks
- Ronnie Brown

I think the Steelers add one low-level veteran at the position and draft a backup. If he is healthy, I'm also fine with LSH returning as a backup.

Id rather bring back LSH i think

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

LSH is more of a third down back than a backup. As far as Dwyer goes, I'd have liked to have seen him signed, but I'm thinking that he believes he has a chance to win a starting role in Arizona with their previous starter retiring.

[ikestops85]

Like Shawn I was never a big Dwyer fan but I thought he started to turn the corner last year. I really wanted us to sign him and checked that box off of the positions we needed to fill. Felix Jones didn't do it for me and LSH, while a good complementary back, couldn't handle the position full time if something happens to Bell.

[K Train]

LSH is more of a third down back than a backup. As far as Dwyer goes, I'd have liked to have seen him signed, but I'm thinking that he believes he has a chance to win a starting role in Arizona with their previous starter retiring.

He was running extremely well last year. I think the first few games would have been different had he not blown out his knee and we could have had some production on the ground. I was very unexcited about bell but i feel completely different his year, i just hope they surround him with some capable backups...wouldnt mind both LSH and Felix being brought back

[phillyesq]

LSH is more of a third down back than a backup. As far as Dwyer goes, I'd have liked to have seen him signed, but I'm thinking that he believes he has a chance to win a starting role in Arizona with their previous starter retiring.

Dwyer is a nice compliment to Ellington in AZ. Ellington is small and quick, and they want to limit his carries. Dwyer will probably get 10-15 touches, many in short yardage.