Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell is heading to a new team and will sign with the Detroit Lions after the retirement of running back Justin Jackson, the team announced on Thursday.
Snell, 25, had played his entire four-year career in with the Steelers since joining the team as a fourth-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The 5-foot-10, 224-pound running back was known for his powerful running style, dubbed “Benny Snell Football,” during his time at Kentucky.
With the Steelers, snell started strong in 2019, but faded throughout the rest of his career. He rushed 108 times for 426 yards (3.9 yards per carry ) and two touchdowns as a rookie backup to James Conner in 2019.
In 2020, Snell started three games behind in place of Conner and rushed 111 times for 368 yards and four scores. His playing time fell further in 2021 when the Steelers drafted Najee Harris. Snell rushed 36 times for 98 yards.
Last season, he was passed on the depth chart by undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren. But despite his reduced role, Snell stepped up in the Steelers’ road win over the Indianapolis Colts.
A free agent for the first time in his career this spring, Snell did not attract significant interest from around the league. However, in the summer, he has been hosted for a number of workouts.
The Steelers have not replaced him on their roster, as guys such as Anthony McFarland, Greg Bell, and Darius Hagans are currently the top options to be the third-string back behind Harris and Warren.
Detroit employs one of the more innovative offenses in the NFL under the guidance of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. They have a strong stable of running backs with Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, and others, but Snell could carve out a role on special teams and as a dependable veteran running back that the team can trust to carry the rock with experience.