The Pittsburgh Steelers have a very talked about team so far in the 2025 offseason, and that is mainly due to the idea of Aaron Rodgers signing in the Steel City While the quarterback position is important, there are other areas of the roster that the front office cannot ignore. This includes some upgrades and depth along the defensive line, as well as some more play-makers for the offense. The Steelers did a good job bringing in a player like DK Metcalf, but the organization needs to add more to the offense through the draft.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren stiff arms a Ravens defender on a run.
It was a foregone conclusion that the Steelers would be moving on from running back Najee Harris after the 2024 campaign. It came as a shock when the organization declined his fifth-year option back in May of 2024, which ultimately allowed him to hit 2025 free agency and sign with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jaylen Warren is still in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers will likely turn towards the draft in order to find his counterpart in the backfield. Robert Mays of The Athletic Football Show believes there is a perfect running back prospect for the Steelers in the draft, but he may be out of reach.
"I'm wondering where [Kaleb] Johnson makes sense." Mays said. "You look at the teams that ran the most zone run in the league last year; they're pretty squared away running back wise. The team that actually makes sense when it comes to running back need and the scheme that they're running, they don't have a pick in the range where they would take him, to me its the Steelers. Like him in that offense in Pittsburgh actually does make a ton of sense."
There is a clear scheme fit between Kaleb Johnson and the Steelers. He excels in zone schemes, which is how Pittsburgh operates. He is largely considered to be the third running back off of the board behind Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton. Johnson seems to be a lock to go in the second round of the event, which is an issue for Pittsburgh as it gave up its second round selection in exchange for Metcalf.
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Former Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson scores a touchdown against the Washington Huskies.
Pittsburgh is an absolute wild card when it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft. It is a franchise that could do anything. A handful of positions are on the table when it comes to selecting a player, while there has also been buzz about trading up or down in the event.
Most fans would probably like to see a track back to the late first round or second round from the 21st overall pick. This would allow Pittsburgh to recoup some draft capital, while also putting the organization to land a player like Johnson in the second round.
There is a close to zero percent chance that the Steelers would use their first round pick on Johnson. He is going to be available when they are picking at 21, but Pittsburgh has hopefully learned its lesson when it comes to drafting a running back in the first round.
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Dylan Sampson of Tennessee participates in a drill during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Steelers Seem To Be Very Interested In A Running Back
It seems like a foregone conclusion that the Steelers will be selecting a running back at some point during the 2025 NFL Draft, it is just unsure when that will be. The draft class is considered to be one of the deepest ever at the running back position, which means the Steelers could realistically wait until Day 3 of the event and take a player then and find great value.
This would be the better option over using another premium pick on the position. Warren is more than serviceable as a running back, and drafting one of the later-round prospects at running back could be a great way to find a steal in the NFL Draft.
How do you want Pittsburgh to attack the running back position? Let us know in the comments below!
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