Just as expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers waited until draft day to get the running back they badly need. The surprise? He isn't a rookie, but former 1,000-yard runner Jerome Bettis.
With the Rams eager to deal the unhappy running back after drafting Nebraska star Lawrence Phillips, the Steelers acquired Bettis for a relatively cheap price. The Rams got the Steelers' second-round pick Saturday and a 1997 fourth-rounder. Pittsburgh also got St. Louis' third-round pick.With quarterback Neil O'Donnell likely to be replaced by the unproven Jim Miller or Kordell Stewart, the Steelers plan to reshift their offensive emphasis from the pass back to their traditional weapon, the run.
"He's a proven back. You know what you're getting," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said of the 240-pound Bettis. "I talked to him and he's excited about coming here. He's looking on this as a new lease on life."
Bettis rushed for 2,454 yards in his first two NFL seasons, but slumped to 637 yards in a diminished role following a training camp holdout last season.
"Based on what we saw film-wise, it seemed teams really stacked the line against him," said Tom Donahoe, the Steelers' director of football operations. "Teams started playing a lot of eight-man fronts and their passing attack maybe wasn't good enough to loosen people up."
Bettis, a former Notre Dame fullback, wasn't surprised a runner who has averaged 1,000 yards a season came so cheaply. The only immediate cost to the Steelers was 12 spots in the draft; they dealt their low second-round pick for the Rams' mid-range third-round choice.
"The Rams were in a difficult situation," Bettis said in a telephone interview. "They probably waited too long to make a trade. They had to unload me and they weren't able to get much for me."
Pittsburgh needed to rebuild its backfield because of Bam Morris' legal problems and the decision not to re-sign fullback John L. Williams. Morris is scheduled to stand trial in Texas on drug possession charges July 15, the day the Steelers open training camp.
With Morris' status in doubt, the Steelers were more comfortable trading for a back who has produced rather than drafting a college back with potential. After making the trade, the Steelers passed up Purdue fullback Mike Alstott to draft 340-pound offensive tackle Jamain Stephens of North Carolina A&T with the 29th overall pick.
"We're getting a proven NFL runner who may need a change of scenery and is coming to an offense that likes to run the football," Donahoe said. "This may be just what he needs."
The Bettis trade likely signals the end to Morris' short career in Pittsburgh. The Steelers probably will keep only five runners, and they now have Bettis, former 1,000-yard back Erric Pegram, Fred McAfee and Tim Lester, the blocking back during Bettis' big rookie season, when the Rams played in Los Angeles.
"We have a lot of depth at running back, and that's a good situation to have," Cowher said.
Bettis has two years left on his contract. The Steelers want to restructure an escape clause that allows him to become a free agent if he rushes for 1,200 yards this season.