Steelers' Front Office Seems Unsure Of Handing Out A Larger Role To Key Offensive Piece

The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into a new era under Pittsburgh's own Mike McCarthy. After coming off a 10-7 season, which saw the Black and Gold win the AFC North, the team is still striving for a playoff win. They haven't achieved that in nearly a decade, and they'll hope that under a completely new coaching staff, they can get to that mark again. The 2026 offseason has presented a ton of aggressive moves by the Steelers' front office. This includes adding several new offensive pieces that will spark an offense that felt stagnant in 2025. 

Among these additions was a free agent running back, Rico Dowdle. Dowdle has consistently proven to overachieve throughout his career, and 2025 was no different. He saw a role increase within the Carolina Panthers' offense and proved to be extremely explosive. A capable pass catcher and pass protector, Dowdle will complement the Steelers' other running back, Jaylen Warren. Warren is another extremely elusive back with a pretty similar skill set to Dowdle, while being a bit smaller. 

Warren has been a big part of the Steelers' rushing attack since 2022. The undrafted free agent has proven to be valuable in his contributions. Early on in his career, he was the number two behind starter Najee Harris, but 2025 saw him become the team's starter. Up until that point, he had never registered a start. The role expansion only saw him carry the ball 211 times, though, as he split snaps with Kenneth Gainwell.

 Steelers beat writer Christopher Carter spoke on his Locked On Steelers podcast about how there is some apprehension in making Warren a premier back, and the proof is in the pudding. 

"There is a belief that Jaylen Warren is not the guy who can just take the load every single time, all game long. I do think that there are reasonable questions as far as what will happen to Jaylen Warren moving forward. I just think that Jaylen Warren is the guy that you want who can be that long-term home run hitter. And if you wear down his tread, you're not going to be able to use him much farther after that," Carter said. 

Warren has yet to be a running back who commands 20+ carries per game. He's no Saquon Barkley or another similar bell cow back. Warren's role has strictly been through his ability to shoot through gaps and make people miss. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry in 2025 and his best trait is creating chunk plays. While many think he could take on a bigger role, it might be in both parties' best interest to keep his role the way it is. 

With the signing of Dowdle and Gainwell's presence last season, it seems as though the front office knows that Warren can't be overworked. He's at his best when used somewhat sparingly. Dowdle will split snaps with him, while the percentage is unclear. There's some speculation that Dowdle could jump ahead of Warren, but the two will very much be working in tandem. 

How Will The Steelers Handle Their Running Back Room In 2026? 

The Steelers' running back corps has a ton of questions. These include the aforementioned snap counts for Dowdle and Warren, but also how Kaleb Johnson will be utilized. The coaching staff has some big decisions to make on the roles of these players. Warren and Dowdle will handle a big chunk of the load, but the former third-round pick, Johnson, has yet to get a real chance. 

There are some big questions with this position group that will take some time to answer. But the room is crowded with talent, and the Steelers will have no shortage of options. Warren's role seems to be the biggest question, though. 

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