Steelers release Dri Archer

[RuthlessBurgher]

By Josh Alper
February 3, 2016, 4:36 PM EST
Jets sign Dri Archer

Dri Archer got a lot of notice at the scouting combine in 2014 when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds, which was the fastest of the year and the second-fastest in recent combine history behind Chris Johnson.

That helped Archer become a third-round pick of the Steelers, but he hasn’t able to make that speed translate into a role on offense in the NFL. He had 10 carries for 40 yards and seven catches for 23 yards as a rookie and didn’t have any offensive touches in eight games before being released in November.

Archer will get a second chance to make it work with the Jets. The team announced they signed Archer, who worked out for them in November, to a futures contract on Wednesday. Jets running backs Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley are all headed for free agency, so it’s unclear what the depth chart will look like at the position when the team starts offseason work.

Archer also returned kickoffs for the Steelers, posting an average of 22.4 yards per return over his two years in Pittsburgh. Antonio Cromartie had the most returns for the Jets in 2015, but is a candidate to be released as the Jets get their cap together.

[squidkid]

By Josh Alper
February 3, 2016, 4:36 PM EST
Jets sign Dri Archer

Dri Archer got a lot of notice at the scouting combine in 2014 when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds, which was the fastest of the year and the second-fastest in recent combine history behind Chris Johnson.

That helped Archer become a third-round pick of the Steelers, but he hasn’t able to make that speed translate into a role on offense in the NFL. He had 10 carries for 40 yards and seven catches for 23 yards as a rookie and didn’t have any offensive touches in eight games before being released in November.

Archer will get a second chance to make it work with the Jets. The team announced they signed Archer, who worked out for them in November, to a futures contract on Wednesday. Jets running backs Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley are all headed for free agency, so it’s unclear what the depth chart will look like at the position when the team starts offseason work.

Archer also returned kickoffs for the Steelers, posting an average of 22.4 yards per return over his two years in Pittsburgh. Antonio Cromartie had the most returns for the Jets in 2015, but is a candidate to be released as the Jets get their cap together.

those jets are lucky.
do you know how many D coordinators are gonna lose sleep having to game plan for him each week?

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

...
Archer also returned kickoffs for the Steelers, posting an average of 22.4 yards per return over his two years in Pittsburgh ...

Really? I had no idea it was that high. Why wouldn't that be good enough to keep a roster spot, do we really need people to play another position besides ST?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Really? I had no idea it was that high. Why wouldn't that be good enough to keep a roster spot, do we really need people to play another position besides ST?

That doesn't mean our average start was the 22 yard line on his returns That's 22 yards from where he catches it (meaning if he brings it out from 7 yards deep, he'd only get to the 15 yard line).

[Shoe]

I wonder if NE* was one of the teams that showed any interest. Belicheat has a way of turning water into wine.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

That doesn't mean our average start was the 22 yard line on his returns That's 22 yards from where he catches it (meaning if he brings it out from 7 yards deep, he'd only get to the 15 yard line).

Ohhh ...

I wonder if the new kick off rules (where everything went deep) lowered his value. Have to check if he was signed just before they went into effect (if so, then the FO wouldn't be quite as open to criticism of a bad signing).

I guess we'll never know how much better he would have been if he had a chance to get some speed going before the first wave of the kicking team got to him.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I wonder if NE* was one of the teams that showed any interest. Belicheat has a way of turning water into wine.

We're not too bad in that dept. ourselves - Villanueva, Antonio Brown, DeAngelo Williams. Etc.?

[Steelerphile]

That doesn't mean our average start was the 22 yard line on his returns That's 22 yards from where he catches it (meaning if he brings it out from 7 yards deep, he'd only get to the 15 yard line).

You can spin statistics however you want, but this year Dri Archer was actually pretty competent as a KO returner. he averaged 25.3 per KO return and if you look at the NFL stats. He was 4th in the AFC for the season with that average for KO returners who had 14 or more returns. I know the board people love trashing Archer, but he was showing improvement this year.

[Steelwolf]

He was better than Jones but sure as heck no darren sproles

[squidkid]

You can spin statistics however you want, but this year Dri Archer was actually pretty competent as a KO returner. he averaged 25.3 per KO return and if you look at the NFL stats. He was 4th in the AFC for the season with that average for KO returners who had 14 or more returns. I know the board people love trashing Archer, but he was showing improvement this year.

not sure what stats you are spinning but nfl.com stats show that archer did indeed have a 25.3 yard kick off return average.
that made him 22nd overall in the nfl and 9th best in the afc. this was based on players with 14 or more returns.

he was tied for 22nd for total number of returns
22nd in yardage
39th in average with at least 1 return
33rd for longest return
tied for 22nd (with 9 other players )for returns of 20+ yards
tied for 32 with 40+ yard return(he had zero, 18 players had at least 1)

any way i twist these stats, i still see an bottom third kick return guy that brings zero to the punt return or rb game.

[Steelerphile]

not sure what stats you are spinning but nfl.com stats show that archer did indeed have a 25.3 yard kick off return average.
that made him 22nd overall in the nfl and 9th best in the afc. this was based on players with 14 or more returns.

he was tied for 22nd for total number of returns
22nd in yardage
39th in average with at least 1 return
33rd for longest return
tied for 22nd (with 9 other players )for returns of 20+ yards
tied for 32 with 40+ yard return(he had zero, 18 players had at least 1)

any way i twist these stats, i still see an bottom third kick return guy that brings zero to the punt return or rb game.

Sorry kid, you're not looking at the stats the way I spin them. I said in KO return average he was 4th in the AFC. You're looking at total yards. 25.3 was 4th in the AFC in return ave per KO
return for 14 or more returns. If he had more returns he would have more total yards. He was not doing poorly. He was an above average returner per KO return ave.

[squidkid]

Sorry kid, you're not looking at the stats the way I spin them. I said in KO return average he was 4th in the AFC. You're looking at total yards. 25.3 was 4th in the AFC in return ave per KO
return for 14 or more returns. If he had more returns he would have more total yards. He was not doing poorly. He was an above average returner per KO return ave.

dont get yourself too dizzy trying to make archer sound like a mediocre kick return guy.
you tweaked one stat to make him sound average. i provided 6 that show he's bottom third at best.
can you imagine his agent saying , (loudly)"pay my guy. he's top 4 in average (mumbles)in the afc with 14 or more returns"

[Ghost]

Archer was a terrible pick for the Steelers. Colbert & Tomlin both stated he was picked specifically for his special teams abilities. Couldn't even return punts. Nothing special at all on kick returns. And couldn't find his way onto the field in any offensive capacity. I'm glad he's not taking a roster spot anymore. Good to cut bait.

[feltdizz]

Archer was a terrible pick for the Steelers. Colbert & Tomlin both stated he was picked specifically for his special teams abilities. Couldn't even return punts. Nothing special at all on kick returns. And couldn't find his way onto the field in any offensive capacity. I'm glad he's not taking a roster spot anymore. Good to cut bait.

I think it was a terrible pick since we didn't give him touches on offense.

First offensive play this preseason was a screen to Archer that went for 50 yards.

Smh.. not sure why we didn't run a few more of those type of plays for him.

oh well, maybe he gets a shot to show out in NY

[RuthlessBurgher]

By Mike Florio
May 10, 2016, 6:02 PM EDT
Bills claim Dri Archer on waivers

The Bills have added another potential weapon to an offense that has too many weapons and only one football.

Running back Dri Archer, waived recently by the Jets, was claimed by the Bills.

A third-round pick in 2014 by Pittsburgh, Archer served primarily as a kickoff returner and never found a niche on offense. The Steelers moved on last year after acquiring Jacoby Jones, who eventually landed in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse due to an ability to keep the ball in his hands.

Archer joined the Jets in February. His blazing speed will continue to give him chances. However, he has yet to translate his ability to quickly get from point A to point B into a secure NFL home.

His next chance comes in Buffalo, as a member of the 90-man roster with the task of climbing the ladder to the final 53.