Steelers OC Arthur Smith reveals additional weapon for ground game

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new wrinkle to add to the ground game, and his name is Mike Williams.

When Arthur Smith was brought to the Pittsburgh Steelers as the new offensive coordinator, there was a lot of talk about the team returning to their roots as a run-heavy offense.

The Steelers are slowly getting back to it since the threat of Russell Wilson as a passer provides more opportunities to run the ball.

And now, Pittsburgh has a new wrinkle to add to the ground game, and his name is Mike Williams.

“Mike’s a big receiver. He’s made a lot of 50/50 catches,” Smith told the media on Thursday. “Big presence in the run game. We’ll see where it goes. Hopefully, he’s value added.”

According to Pro Football Focus premium stats (subscription), Williams has 1,504 run-blocking snaps in his 10-year career. He’s had minimal success as a runner. Williams’ best season was in 2018, when he ran seven times for 28 yards and a touchdown.

Williams said after his first day of practice on Wednesday, he was utilized often and everywhere. “I had a pretty good day today; I’ve been in quite a bit. I was moving around everywhere. I’m trying to learn as much as possible. You never know what can happen, people move, things change. So, I’m just learning all the positions. I got some reps with Russ, also. So, keep building the rest of the week and see where we are on Sunday.”

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