Steelers Adding Kenneth Gainwell Seems Like A Minor Move But He "Killed" Pittsburgh In Their Last Meeting

When the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to decline running back Najee Harris' fifth-year option, it was met with mixed reviews. Fans of the former Alabama stand-out believed that his durability and ball security were enough to outweigh his lower yards per carry statistics. They also note that Harris has played with six different quarterbacks, had Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada for his first few seasons, and a consistently weak offensive line. Now that the two have moved on from each other, the Steelers have tendered an offer to his partner Jaylen Warren and are expected to select a new back out of this strong and deep 2025 draft class. However, they also made a surprise signing. 

The Steelers reportedly agreed to a deal with Super Bowl winner Kenneth Gainwell from the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year contract. Gainwell was in the same draft class as Harris, picked up in the fifth round by the Eagles. Gainwell might not have the pedigree that Harris has, but he brings depth and much-needed competition to the running back room. 

Ray Fittipaldo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette joined The Fan Morning Show on 93.7 The Fan and was asked about the team's offseason moves. He said that other than DK Metcalf, the team hasn't done much yet in free agency. He believes that has been because they were held up waiting on a quarterback decision so they would know exactly how much money they have left. 

"I like Gainwell," said Fittipaldo. "They are all kind of minor moves. I think Gainwell killed the Steelers in that game in Philadelphia. He was really good in that game."

Fittipaldo also said that he still expects the team to select a running back on the second or third day of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Gainwell signing doesn't change that. He added that he was surprised they hadn't cut Cordarrelle Patterson yet. He said he noticed the team had done one-year deals with Gainwell and Warren. He noted it signals to him that they expect to find their franchise running back in the draft. While the season will likely start out with Warren as 1A and Gainwell as 1B, he expects this rookie to have an impact quickly. 

Gainwell played behind Saquon Barkley in 2024, which is a double-edged sword. It limited the number of opportunities that Gainwell had, but it freed him up at times. In the game that Fittipaldo mentioned, the Steelers had so much attention on Barkley that the AP Offensive Player of the Year had one of his statistically worst games of the season. While Gainwell didn't light up the stat sheet, the attention on Barkley allowed him to make some short catches, averaging 13.3 yards per reception.

One area of concern with this current group is ball security. While fans might have knocked Harris for a lot, one thing he didn't do often was turn the ball over. That's important when Head Coach Mike Tomlin consistently prioritizes ball security. However, Warren and Gainwell have both been known to fumble. As Mark Kaboly brought up after the signing, Warren and Gainwell have a combined 12 fumbles on 855 touches, while Harris has only five on 1,277 touches.

Another Minor Steelers Signing Is A Positive Sign For A Young Player

The Steelers also reportedly worked out a deal for cornerback Darius Slay, another Eagles player. This shouldn't surprise anyone; the Steelers tend to like having a veteran cornerback, especially with younger players like Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. in the room. They previously attempted something similar with Patrick Peterson and Donte Jackson.

Fittipaldo said this signals that they really like and believe in Trice. However, since he was drafted in 2023, Trice has struggled with injuries. He missed his whole rookie season with a torn ACL and then missed part of 2024 with a hamstring. Fittipaldo thinks if Trice stays healthy, he could take over for Slay half way through the season.  

What do you think about the Gainwell signing? Comment below!

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