Steelers RB Jaylen Warren's New Injury Impact Is A Mystery: "It Could Linger"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been using a kind of dual running back corps for the past two seasons. That means former first-round selection Najee Harris and undrafted free agent Jaylen Warren have been splitting reps almost exactly in half. In 2023, Harris played 569 snaps and Warren played 519.   

They both had solid seasons last year, with Harris having his third 1,000-plus-yard season in a row. They seem to work well together, and the offense has benefited from it, especially while they struggled with quarterback and offensive line issues. It appears that it will continue to be the plan with new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith. 

Smith is known for calling a run-heavy offense, and the path forward seemed clear. Then, a minor disaster struck: Warren left early with a hamstring injury during their second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. Hope that it was minor was squashed when news broke that Warren's ability to play Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons is in jeopardy. 

Just how much concern over Warren's injury is reasonable? That was the question posed to Mark Kaboly, the Steelers correspondent for The Pat McAfee Show. Kaboly recently joined Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson on 93.7 The Fan Morning Show and answered how worried he is on a scale of 1-10.   

"I probably put it at a five right now because, let's see how long it is," said Kaboly. "Maybe he's back for Week 1. But I give it a five because you've got to be a little bit concerned with a hamstring that, at any particular time, that thing goes. If he can come back in Week 1 - Week 2, I think you're fine to get through that. The unknown with that keeps me at a five. If he's out right now and he keeps tweaking it, it could linger."

That leaves concerns about the running game's effectiveness with just Harris. Dickerson said that using both backs gives the offense depth it otherwise lacks. While he doesn't believe that Warren could handle the load of being the single starting running back, he does feel the offense is more one-dimensional with just one of them. Dickerson added that Harris gets better as the year goes on, and without Warren, the milage on Harris adds up.

If Warren remains out into the regular season, there are a few depth options who can fill in. That includes Cordarrelle Patterson, who was with Smith and the Falcons last season. Patterson appeared to be hired primarily as a kick returner, but he could also help on offense.    

"Let's see what Cordarelle Patterson does, because historically, his career tells you he can do some of that stuff. Ok, he didn't look very good the other day, but he hasn't practiced a lot. He might be able to fill a big hole. I like Jonathan Ward. He's pretty good. You use him and Patterson together, and maybe you can get through it in a week or two. I think this is better off happening now than, say, at Week 6."

The Steelers' final preseason game is Saturday against the Detroit Lions, and it is unclear which players will get an opportunity to play yet. However, Warren will likely be out nursing his hamstring. 

Steelers Can Get Hamstring Data

Kaboly told Crowley and Dickerson that he thinks the Steelers know the extent of Warren's injury. This past offseason, the Steelers hired a new strength and conditioning team, which uses equipment to measure hamstring health. 

The player lies in a plank pose, but at an angle, and the staff can tell just how strong the muscle is. They use the machine after nearly every practice to assess how the hamstring responds to the expected workload. 

Hopefully, Warren's assessments show that his hamstring is ready to play against the Falcons. This will be a bit of a revenge game for Smith against his old team, and he will want his offense to be at the top of their game. 

How long do you think Warren will be out, and who should fill in? Click to comment below. 

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