Losing Kenneth Gainwell in free agency was a big blow for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was their team MVP last year, leading them in catches despite being a running back. However, they didn’t do too bad of a job replacing him, signing Rico Dowdle to a two-year deal. While Dowdle might not be the receiving threat that Gainwell is, he’s an established runner, coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. That’s an impressive accomplishment, but Dowdle isn’t letting it make him any less hungry.
“Not necessarily that it doesn’t mean something to me, but it’s behind me now,” Dowdle said Friday via the team’s website. “Now, it’s can I go do it again? I’ve gotta go do it again this year. It doesn’t really matter. I’ve got to where I’m at now, I’ve did it, I’m definitely proud that I’ve been able to accomplish that, being undrafted, but I’ve gotta continue to put my best foot forward and do it again. That’s the goal.”
The Steelers didn’t have a 1,000-yard rusher last year, with Jaylen Warren getting close at 958 yards. However, he and Gainwell often split carries, which affected both of their statistics.
Something similar could happen this year with Dowdle and Warren. The Steelers will likely use a healthy dose of both of them, although it’s unclear what the division of labor will look like. Warren led the team in carries last year, having almost 100 more than Gainwell. Dowdle’s skill set could cause him to be the team’s lead back, though.
While Dowdle is new to the Steelers, he’s familiar with Mike McCarthy, playing for the head coach for five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. It was there that Dowdle grew into a lead back, breaking out in McCarthy’s final season in Dallas and rushing for 1,000 yards in a season for the first time.
Therefore, his familiarity with McCarthy’s system could cause him to see a lot of action. Warren served in more of complimentary role in his first three seasons with the Steelers, splitting time with Najee Harris. Perhaps he could move back to that role with Dowdle in Pittsburgh.
That would give the running back a good shot at posting his third-straight 1,000-yard season. Even if he splits time with Warren, Dowdle managed to put up 1,000 yards last year while sharing touches with Chuba Hubbard.
Also, if he reaches that mark again, he would be doing it with his third team. Only Willis McGahee and Ricky Watters have run for 1,000 yards with three different teams, and neither of them did it in consecutive seasons. It’s a high mark to hit, but Dowdle has a chance at it.
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