Dan Herron's resume has taken some time to get going.
After posting a horrible 1.7 yard/rush average on 25 snaps last year during the preseason as a sixth-round rookie, Herron was cut and then signed to the team's practice squad. Eventually, with injuries at various positions, he was promoted the the 53-man roster following week 13. And it wasn't because of his abilities as a ball-carrier.
It was special teams, writes the mothership.
Simmons said Herron played the opponent's best punt rusher during the week and he got so good at it that he earned a spot when he was promoted in the wake of wide receiver Mohamed Sanu's trip to season-ending injured reserve.
Herron blocked two punts (one partial) and generated four special teams tackles in four games last season. Not bad. Against the Eagles in week 15, Herron blocked a punt, tied for the team lead in tackles, and added eight yards on three carries as a rusher.
Now he's producing as one of the team's workhorse running backs in the second half of games, while currently tied for the league lead with 111 yards rushing. Herron generated a career-high 81 yards last Saturday and surpassed the four yard/rush average milestone for the first time in his career against the Titans. But he knows one preseason performance doesn't mean much if you're not improving.
"Anytime you have a really good game, of course it’s always a little encouraging," he said to the Columbus Dispatch. "But at the same time, you have to understand that you can’t read into it. You have to keep getting better, keep working."