The Pittsburgh Steelers are most of the way through the first part of the offseasonleading up to the draft. Before we get there, we’re going totake stock of how the roster has evolved over the past several weeks. Position by position, we’ll break down who’s coming and going and what’s next for those rookies and those already here.
Position: Running Back
Total Positional Figure: 6
Offseason Additions: 2
Offseason Deletions: 1
Players Retained:
Jaylen Warren: The Steelers signed Jaylen Warren to an extension last year but haven’t handed him the top running back role. Throughout his career, he has always shouldered the load, and this year will be no different. In fact, he may get even fewer carries this year with Rico Dowdle more of a workhorse back in the Najee Harris vein.
Kaleb Johnson: The Steelers added Kaleb Johnson to their running back stable in the third round last year. The only problem is that he did virtually nothing, offensively or on special teams. They handed him the kick-return job, and he almost literally fumbled it away. When earning few opportunities on offense, he managed a 25-percent run success rate. This offseason, he has to prove to a new coaching staff that he has the talent.
Max Hurleman: A jack-of-all trades player signed as a college free agent last year, the Steelers list Max Hurleman as a running back. They also listed him as a wide receiver in the past, to give you an idea. But he spent all of last season on the practice squad, and he’s still here. His best shot is to compete for a return job.
Lew Nichols: The Steelers signed Lew Nichols in training camp, needing another running back after releasing Cordarrelle Patterson. He made it through camp, and they re-signed him to the practice squad. There he, too, remained all season. But they also elevated him for one game, Nichols playing six snaps on special teams and recording a tackle.
Players Added:
Rico Dowdle: After losing Kenenth Gainwell in free agency, the Steelers signed a running back Mike McCarthy knows. Rico Dowdle played for him in Dallas, and he has two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Not incapable of contributing in the pass game, he sees himself and Warren as every-down players. How they distribute the workload will be a key question this offseason.
Travis Homer: Nominally a running back, Travis Homer’s job for the Steelers will be on special teams. Likely not in a return capacity, but he has logged a lot of snaps in that phase of the game over the years. With the Steelers losing several key special teams contributors this offseason, he has a great shot at sticking.
Players Deleted:
Kenneth Gainwell: The former Eagles running back earned the Steelers’ team MVP honors last year. Having a career year, including over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 8 touchdowns, Kenneth Gainwell proved himself to the NFL in Pittsburgh a year ago. That’s why he earned a robust two-year, $14 million contract in free agency.
Notes And Draft Outlook:
Even with Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Kaleb Johnson, and Travis Homer already in the mix, it’s not out of the question that the Steelers draft a running back. This is not as strong a class as last year, but you can find what you’re looking for. With Pittsburgh shifting to a new offense, Mike McCarthy could also be looking for a different profile at the position.
With Warren and Dowdle, the Steelers now have two physical running backs. Both can also work in the pass game, though Warren may see more of that work. But will Johnson contribute much, if at all, this season? Will he even make the team?
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