Kenneth Gainwell
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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac reported the Pittsburgh Steelers expect to lose running back Kenneth Gainwell in 2026 NFL free agency.
General manager Omar Khan of the Pittsburgh Steelers told reporters at the NFL combine the team wants to re-sign free agent running back Kenneth Gainwell. But with a week to go until the league’s legal tampering period begins, that doesn’t appear likely to happen.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported over the weekend the Steelers are preparing for Gainwell to depart in free agency. The team also doesn’t see retaining free agent guard Isaac Seumalo as highly likely either.
“The Steelers are expecting running back Kenneth Gainwell, who led the team in receptions and was voted team MVP, and possibly veteran guard Isaac Seumalo to explore the possibility of signing elsewhere during the free-agent period,” wrote Dulac.
“Like Justin Fields did a year ago, they intend to test the market to see what offers might be out there. It doesn’t mean the Steelers don’t want them back. It just comes down to price.”
Gainwell is also coming off the best season of his career and will turn 27 in March. This offseason is the time for him to land a big deal.
In 2025, Gainwell ran for a career-high 537 yards while averaging a career-best 4.7 yards per attempt. As Dulac indicated, he led the Steelers with 73 receptions as well.
Gainwell’s 1,023 yards from scrimmage were almost double what he’s posted in any other season in his career.
Kenneth Gainwell Expected to Test Free Agent Market
It’s not at all surprising Gainwell wants to test the market. He’s made $5.6 million in his NFL career, which is obviously a great sum for the average person. But it isn’t for an NFL player.
However, that’s a bad sign for the Steelers re-signing Gainwell. Typically, free agents that test the market don’t come back to their former teams.
That doesn’t always happen. But it often does.
Clearly, the Steelers prefer to bring back Gainwell. It’s a smart move given that he had more catches than every single Pittsburgh receiver last year.
But it sounds like the Steelers have a limit in what they want to pay him.
Last season, Gainwell made $1.17 million on a 1-year contract with Pittsburgh. Spotrac projected the running back’s free agent value to be $5.9 million on a 2-year deal.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper had a slightly higher projection — a 2-year, $10 million contract for Gainwell this offseason.
Steelers to Lose Isaac Seumalo in 2026 NFL Free Agency?
Given Gainwell’s significant role in the Steelers offense last season, he probably has a better chance of returning to Pittsburgh than Seumalo. If the Steelers don’t make Gainwell a priority, they are probably going to lose the left guard as well.
Seumalo joined the Steelers as a free agent three years ago. In three seasons, he started 44 games for Pittsburgh. During 2024, he made his first Pro Bowl.
Seumalo is the most experienced starter on the Steelers young offensive line. But that line has gained valuable experience over the past two years. The other four starters are all still on rookie deals and growing together.
That makes Seumalo expendable. The Steelers could draft another potential starting interior line to add to their developing offensive front. Or, they could sign a cheaper veteran to complement the unit’s young pieces.
Ironically, Gainwell and Seumalo were teammates with the Philadelphia Eagles before Pittsburgh. Seumalo started 60 games for Philadelphia from 2016-22.