FanHouse NajehDavenport

Here we do again. The Pittsburgh Steelers have re-re-signed running back Najeh Davenport.

This will be Dookie's third stint with the Steelers this year. He was cut in June ... re-signed in October ... then cut again three weeks ago. In his four games played this season, he has carried the ball just twice for five yards.

Despite Pittsburgh's record, they are having a tough time running the football this year. They are the NFL's fourth-worst rushing team in terms of yards-per-carry. Willie Parker has missed a lot of time this year with knee and shoulder issues and Rashard Mendenhall has been lost for the season.

The Steelers need the help as they face some stout rush defenses. They have a huge game in New England on Sunday, host Dallas then travel to Baltimore and Tennessee.

Willie Parker already missed four games this season because of a bum knee, and he'll be out of commission against the Colts this afternoon after injuring his shoulder in Washington last Monday night.

According to NFL Network's Adam Schefter, it could be something that keeps Parker out for more than one game:

Willie Parker found out during the week that he has a torn labrum in his shoulder. He went for a second opinion on that shoulder on Friday; if and when he plays again this season, he's going to have to wear a harness. [The Steelers are] awaiting the results of a second test ... to see what the proper course of action is.

Schefter also points out that Chad Javon Ocho Cinco has played the 2008 season with the same injury -- and the requisite harness -- and hasn't been his usual effective self.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released Najeh Davenport. Again.

Najeh Davenport was released Saturday by the Pittsburgh Steelers, five weeks after they brought back their former top backup running back following a number of injuries.

Davenport, the Steelers' starter during their wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville in January, was let go even though starter Willie Parker is not expected to play Sunday against Indianapolis because of a sore shoulder.

It is quite interesting that they did this since Parker won't play today, but he did have a bum hamstring and has gained all of five yards this season. Pittsburgh used the roster spot to bring back linebacker Donovan Woods from the practice squad.

And when you discuss Davenport, you have to mention the fact that the Dump Truck was arrested in 2002 for burglary and mischief when he blew mud in a woman's laundry basket.

Special teams have been a problem for the Steelers for years. They were something Mike Tomlin said he was going to fix when he arrived in Pittsburgh, but then the Steelers went out and had a brutal year on special teams.

A year later, half of the problem has been fixed. The Steelers coverage units are now solid--something that hasn't been able to be said in recent years. Unfortunately, the other half of the equation is still brutal.

What do you get when you take a make a 250-pound fullback your primary kick returner? As you would expect, it doesn't turn out well. The good news is Najeh Davenport consistently gets the Steelers out to around the 20-yard-line. The bad news is that his longest kick return of the season is 27 yards, which explains why the Steelers are 30th in the league in kick returns. It shouldn't be much of a surprise, as Davenport is averaging 21.7 yards per return this year which is right in line with his 22.6 yard return average for his career. He's returned one kick longer than 30 yards in the past five years.

But it's not just Davenport who deserves some blame. The punt return unit (which has relied on Mewelde Moore and Santonio Holmes) is tied for worst in the league. Washington, Monday night's opponent, has an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown this year. The Steelers have 81 yards in punt returns for the season. At 4.8 yards per return and a longest return of 17 yards, the Steelers aren't doing a whole lot better than what they would do just by fair catching every punt.

This looks to be an unfixable issue. With the injuries the Steelers have, there really aren't a lot of roster spots to go out and spend one on a young returner with some promise. But once again when free agency and the draft roll around next year, Pittsburgh will be in need of a returner.

If given a choice, I'd much rather see the Steelers cover kicks well than have a great returner, but maybe next year, for a change, the Steelers can have both?

The Steelers have had a lot of bad news when it comes to injuries, so it's good to actually hear something good for a chance. While Willie Parker won't play tomorrow against the Jaguars, the Steelers' tailback should be back in the lineup when the Steelers play the Bengals after the upcoming bye week.

"I know I could play this week," said Parker, who has rushed for 263 yards and three touchdowns on 66 carries. "(The coaches) know I could play this week. I think it's best that I do sit out and relax and then come back (after the bye)."

By giving Parker two more weeks, they should give his knee a chance to be closer to 100 percent than he would be if he tried to go this week. And considering the Jaguars problems on pass defense, it makes sense to give Parker a little more time while also giving Mewelde Moore, an impressive receiver out of the backfield, a larger role in a game suited to his skills.

With Rashard Mendenhall out for the rest of the season, Najeh Davenport, Gary Russell and Moore will also be playing this Sunday for the chance to be the primary backup once Parker returns. Davenport would seem to have the inside track, considering he held that job last year, but both Russell and Moore could make pretty persuasive arguments themselves.

Four days ago, I had no idea who Danny Ware was. Before last weekend, apparently, he was just a running back sequestered on the Giants practice squad. Now he's the guy who was arrested for being drunk while standing in oncoming traffic at two in the morning. No idea what would possess anybody to do that (well, other than to get their mind right for the big game), but at least he wasn't wearing his uniform, so there's that.

Whatever, Ware tells the New York Post that the full story has yet to be told (I mean, there has to be a completely logical explanation for this; 24-year-old professional athletes just don't get drunk and start doing stupid stuff for no reason.)

"The truth is going to come out," said Ware, who was arrested along with a woman for drunken conduct and because they seemed oblivious to traffic that had to steer around them as they stood in the street talking, police told the Athens Banner Herald. His court case is later this month. ... "Everybody sees the comments," Ware said. "You can have your own opinion. But the truth's going to come out, we'll just have to wait."

And wait I will.

Pro Football Talk is suggesting that the Steelers may be giving Shaun Alexander a call now that Rashard Mendenhall is done for the season. Alexander could be the fill-in starter until Willie Parker returns from a knee injury, and he could then become the primary backup.

That sounds great if you're getting the Alexander who was one of the league's best backs before he firted with the "Curse of 370" in 2005. Ever since then, Alexander has been a below average back who has averaged only 3.6 yards per carry, fumbled eight times in two years and has battled injuries. He once was a great one, but there aren't many examples of once-great backs regaining their greatness at the age of 31.

The NFL season is finally here and there are still plenty of guys waiting for the phone to ring. Running back Shaun Alexander, 2005 NFL MVP, is probably the biggest name currently not on a roster, but there's also Travis Henry, Najeh Davenport, Tatum Bell, and Cedric Benson.

But things are looking up for Ced, the Bears 2005 first-round pick who was never anything more than a glorified backup in Chicago. After two alcohol-related arrests earlier this offseason, Benson was released in June, and hasn't been heard from since. Until now, anyway.

...Benson ... said Saturday he has a tryout with the Houston Texans this week. Benson also said by phone he'd had a workout with the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago and that it "went well." Benson believes teams are waiting for his legal matters to be cleared up before signing him.

Interesting. According to FanHouse's Tom Mantzouranis, the Saints worked out Benson a couple weeks ago. Head coach Sean Payton later confirmed as much but said the team brings in guys all the time just to get a look. Apparently, it was nothing more than that.

And two weeks after Benson was released, Stephanie Stradley mentioned that the Texans were interested in the running back, although it turned out to be just that: a rumor. Two and a half months later, that's changed.

In Benson's favor, he's still young and has very low mileage, so physically, he's got a lot to offer. Whether teams are willing to overlook the other stuff -- his questionable work ethic and his off-field issues -- is another question.

Last week, the Steelers released Najeh Davenport, a 245-pound running back who was signed to replace the ineffective Duce Staley in 2006. Staley was signed two years earlier to take over for the soon-to-be-retiring Jerome Bettis (he's from Detroit, you know). The common theme among the three backs? They were all big, plodding bruisers who could move the pile and excelled in short-yardage situations.

But as Pittsburgh heads into 2008, Gary Russell is the "heaviest" runner of those destined for the final 53, and he weighs 215 pounds (according to NFL.com). Rookie Rashard Mendenhall is 210, and Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore are listed at 209. But it's Moore, signed this offseason to a three-year, $4.95 million deal, who could be the key component to the new-fangled running game.

Not so much for his ability to actually run the ball, but because of his many other talents.

Typically, when the Steelers release a player, the process goes something like this: head coach Mike Tomlin explains that "it's a numbers game," and thanks the player for their hard work, commitment, etc.; player cleans out his locker and turns in his playbook; player immediately calls his agent; player signs with the Pittsburgh West within 48 hours.

Which is why recently unemployed running back Najeh Davenport probably wasn't too concerned about finding another gig. He told Sirius NFL Radio earlier this week that he would target the Cardinals and Lions as potential new employers, but he might want to think about casting a wider net during the job search.

"Cardinals GM Rod Graves said via text message this morning that the Cardinals have no interest."

So that's that. A running game that ranked 26th in the league last season has no need for a back who was eighth in value per play and 18th in total value. And Davenport's also a willing blocker and a good receiver. Interesting.

Actually, it's more complicated than that -- according to Rotoworld:

Najeh said he'd target the Lions and Cardinals as suitors, but his off-field past will work against him. The Cards also aren't in position to sign players other than their rookies. It's too bad, because this could've been a nice fit.

There's still Detroit, a team in need of a veteran running back who doesn't stink, and then there's Chicago: a team in need of a running back, period (although second-rounder Matt Forte has, roughly, a 10 million percent chance to be an improvement over Cedric Benson).