The Pittsburgh Steelers were in the market for a running back during the draft, but passed on top-rated rusher Eddie Lacy due to concerns over a toe injury, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers opted instead for Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell with their second-round pick.
2013 NFL Draft: Steelers scared by Eddie Lacy’s toe injury
Concerns over a toe problem caused the Pittsburgh Steelers to pass on Alabama running back Eddie Lacy, thought by many to be the best running back in the 2013 draft.
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Lacy has dealt with both hamstring and toe injuries, but the Steelers were scared off because his toe was reportedly fused. Lacy eventually came off the board at the end of the second round, going to the Green Bay Packers with the 29th pick in the round.
Despite being known traditionally as a run-first team, Pittsburgh has struggled to run the ball of late. They haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Rashard Mendenhall in 2010, and he has struggled to return to form following a torn ACL in 2011. Jonathan Dwyer led the team with only 623 yards and two touchdowns in 2012.
Lacy finally became the feature back for the Crimson Tide in 2012 after two years as a complementary rusher, and he made the most of it, rushing for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns on 204 carries. Bell, meanwhile, shouldered the heaviest workload of any running back in college football, rushing for 1,793 yards and 12 touchdowns on a staggering 382 carries.
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