It seems the pending suspension for Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell may be partially beneficial to at least one person associated with the Steel City's NFL franchise.
Dri Archer, the diminutive "Swiss Army Knife" selected by the Steelers in the third-round of last year's NFL draft out of Kent State, is expected by Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin to shoulder more of the load for the team next season.
Tomlin, while at the NFL's owners meetings in Phoenix on Tuesday, told Marc Sessler of NFL.com that the team wants "to give Dri Archer a chance to play a larger role" going forward.
The 23-year-old Archer finished the 2014-15 season with just 10 rushing attempts for 40 yards, but also added seven receptions for 23 yards, one punt return for two yards and nine kickoff returns for 161 yards in 12 games of work.
Despite the limited overall production, what Archer showed was an ability to provide impact in nearly every facet of the game.
With Bell facing a suspension stemming from his arrest on marijuana possession and driving under the influence, the first handful of games for the Steelers next season may provide a perfect proving ground for Archer to show the coaching staff and GM Kevin Colbert that he's ready to take on more for Pittsburgh.
He's small - 5-foot-8, 173-pounds - so he'll likely never be able to withstand the punishment of being a full-time back for Pittsburgh. Still, he's compact and versatile and could be the right kind of lightning for Bell's thunder long-term for the Steelers.
The team also added former Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams this offseason, so it's likely he'll see the lion's share of the carries while Bell is on the NFL-mandated shelf. Again though, for Archer, there may be no better chance to prove his worth and various talents to the Pittsburgh brass than by blowing them away with a high-quality showing in the early portion of next season.
If Tomlin's remarks are any indication, they have every expectation that he will.
