DeAngelo Williams to visit Steelers Friday

The Pittsburgh Steelers might be ready to make their first grab for a player outside the team later this week, as they are scheduled to host running back DeAngelo Williams this Friday, according to Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk.

Williams, 32 years old, is the all-time leading rusher for the Carolina Panthers with 6,846 yards, but was cut by the organization after their season ended in the playoffs.  In his prime he was a fast running back that once totaled over 1500 yards in his 3rd season in the league, 2008, and was part of a dynamic duo of running backs for the Panthers when he shared the backfield with Jonathan Stewart.  However his 2014 season was marred with injuries as he was only able start in six games during the regular season and amassed only 219 yards.  He would return in the playoffs, but played a minimal role in the team's efforts that led to them beating the Arizona Cardinals in the wild card round.

The Steelers 2014 season saw a need for a veteran running back open up after the team let go of LeGarrette Blount late in the season. Le'Veon Bell's week 17 injury against the Cincinnati Bengals left a gaping hole in the Steelers depth chart that played a major factor in their demise against the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs. Though the team did grab Ben Tate in an attempt to fill that role, it appears certain that Kevin Colbert will be looking for someone else to be on the depth chart behind Le'Veon Bell.

Considering the team must also plan for, at the most, playing four games without Le'Veon Bell at the start of the 2015 regular season, Williams could be a player to fill that role along with Dri Archer and any impending players Pittsburgh acquires through the draft.