The Pittsburgh Steelers already seem rather set at the running back position with third-year pro Najee Harris poised for a breakout season and second-year running back Jaylen Warren aiming to take another step forward after a remarkable rookie season after going undrafted.
The duo should be quite the pair in 2023, especially as the Steelers lean heavily into the bully ball mentality with a roster that GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl have shaped quite well this offseason.
Former NFL quarterback and current Good Morning Football co-host Ryan Leaf believes the Steelers could use one more piece in the backfield.
That piece? Former No. 4 overall pick Leonard Fournette.
Leaf stated on GMFB Wednesday morning that the best landing spot for Fournette — currently a free agent after his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — would be the Steelers, pairing with Harris to form a punishing duo.
“You put him in the backfield with Najee, you get down inside the 10-yard line, Kenny Pickett won’t even need to throw the ball,” Leaf said, according to video via NFL.com. “All he’d have to do is turn around and hand the football to his guys, and that’s how Pittsburgh takes the AFC North.”
This isn’t the first time a talking head has made the case for the Steelers to add a big name to the running back room. Just last week, FS1’s Joy Taylor made the case for Dalvin Cook to be a Steeler, forming a 1-2 punch with Harris. Now, Leaf is advocating for the Steelers to sign Fournette and create a powerhouse duo in the backfield.
In theory, it makes a bit of sense, considering Fournette would be rather cheap having made just $2 million in base salary last season and certainly fits the style the Steelers are seemingly going for with the bully ball mentality. He’d be a great insurance policy for Harris overall, in case of injury.
That said, the Steelers aren’t about to add a player that high profile to the running back room and potentially upset the balance within the room under position coach Eddie Faulkner. Harris and Warren have clear, defined roles. While there remains a need for a No. 3 option in the backfield in Pittsburgh, Fournette isn’t that guy.
He’s not going to play special teams, and likely won’t be thrilled taking a backseat, especially after he was a workhouse the last two seasons in Tampa Bay with a combined 511 touches in 2021 and 2022. On paper it’s a fun pairing, and would undoubtedly be a fun pairing in Madden, too. But in reality, it doesn’t make much sense overall considering the dynamic in the running back room currently.
