The Pittsburgh Steelers running game ranked just 16th in rushing yards in the NFL in 2022. Even worse, their 4.2 cumulative yards per carry ranked 23rd in the league. In his second NFL season, Najee Harris’ production didn’t get much better from his 2021 rookie campaign. The offensive line didn’t help much either, as the run blocking was quite inconsistent. As the season evolved and Harris got healthier though, Pittsburgh showed improvements.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Najee Harris prepares in warmups on the field at Acrisure Stadium prior to a 2022 preseason game.
Fast forward to the offseason, and the front office made some significant improvements along the line. Left guard Isaac Seumalo was the most notable addition, as he will bring a physical, disciplined leader to the experienced bunch. With that, expectations are high for Harris and Jaylen Warren. Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, known as one of the biggest busts in NFL history, appeared on Good Morning Football on Wednesday, and he thinks Pittsburgh should go after a veteran free agent tailback.
“I am a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. You put him in the backfield with Najee, you get down inside the 10-yard line, I mean, Kenny Pickett won't even need to throw the ball. All he'd have to do is turn around and hand the football to his guys, and that's how Pittsburgh takes the AFC North," Leaf said on GMFB.
Fournette didn't say much other than laugh, as he has spent the last three seasons with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After Brady’s retirement, it opened up a new era for Tampa Bay this offseason. That included the backfield, as they felt confident enough to move forward with Rachaad White as their main tailback. He had a solid rookie year in 2022, totaling 771 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns.
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The Steelers upset Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in the 2022 regular season.
Fournette now remains a free agent deep into June. In 2022, he had 189 carries for 668 yards and three touchdowns. The 3.5 yards per carry is the second-lowest tally of his career, and he hasn't had a 1,000-yard year since 2019. There’s no doubt that he has some gas left in the tank, but it’s likely as a complementary back, rather than an every-down starter.
Do Steelers have enough depth at RB?
His trajectory over the past few years would suggest just that, as he started just nine games in 2022. He could bring a goal line, veteran presence to a team, along with his underrated ability in the passing game. Fournette had 73 catches and a career-high 523 receiving yards in addition to three more touchdowns through the air in 2022. While he's known for his bruising running style, his receiving has become arguably the best part of his game.
Spotrac gives Fournette a market value of $2.3 million per year, giving him a possible two-year, $4.7 million deal. For the Steelers though, it simply doesn’t make any sense, unless he’s comfortable being the No. 3 behind Harris and Warren. It seems some national media pundits are necessarily aware of how good Jaylen Warren is. Some are aware, like when Pro Football Focus labeled him as the team’s most underrated player.
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Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (#30) warms up prior to a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium.
Fournette isn't the only running back that has been linked to the black and gold in the last week though. Recently, Joy Taylor of Fox Sports suggested the Steelers as an intriguing option for former Minnesota Vikings star Dalvin Cook. Again, that's another situation that doesn’t make any sense. While the team has some cap space left, they have other things to worry about on the roster.
Alfonzo Graham and Anthony McFarland Jr. seem to be the main competitors for the No. 3 running back spot heading into minicamp. While neither are household names, the overall depth at the position makes for little sense to pursue guys like Cook and Fournette. For Pittsburgh fans, Fournette still leaves a sour taste in their mouths, as he's ran for over 300 yards and four touchdowns against the Steelers in just a few matchups in his career.
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