For the past four seasons, Najee Harris provided a reliable presence for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was their starting running back from his first NFL game, and he never missed a start during his Pittsburgh tenure. However, this offseason, he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. That left the Steelers with a big hole to replace on their offense. They signed Kenneth Gainwell to help compensate for the loss of Harris, and Gainwell is excited about the Steelers’ new-look backfield.
“Seeing Jaylen [Warren]’s power, seeing Jaylen’s work ethic, that’s the same way I attack the game,” Gainwell said Thursday via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter. I feel like we can rely off each other real good. And then bringing [Kaleb Johnson] with us, I think it’s gonna be a great show. I hope y’all are ready for it.”
At the moment, it’s unclear who is going to be the Steelers’ lead back this season. Warren is the most familiar to the team, being a significant part of their offense over the last few seasons. However, he’s been more of a complementary piece. He might not be best suited to take the bulk of the carries.
While Gainwell is a newcomer, he’s a proven NFL commodity. In his four years with the Philadelphia Eagles, he served in a similar role to Warren. Gainwell wasn’t ever at the top of the depth chart, but he’s a great change-of-pace back. He’s shifty and has great receiving ability.
Johnson seems best poised to take over Harris’ role. While he’s only a rookie, he showed a lot of promise at the University of Iowa. That’s why the Steelers spent their third-round pick on him this year. He’s big, powerful, and is tough to stop once he gets moving. That’s the type of running back the Steelers have liked to employ over the years.
Also, Johnson seems like a great fit for Arthur Smith’s offense. It’s a zone-run scheme, which Johnson excelled in during his collegiate career. However, as a rookie, he might need time to develop and get used to the NFL.
Whatever the case ends up being, the Steelers’ backfield isn’t lacking talent. They have three players who should be able to contribute. While the Steelers haven’t usually employed a running back by committee perhaps that could change this year. Warren, Gainwell, and Johnson all bring different elements that should help replace Harris.
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