The last time that we took a look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster in review, it was weeks before the 2023 NFL Draft took place. It would be safe to say that quite a bit has changed since then. The changes apply to almost every position on the roster. Some are major changes and some minor, though some have remained largely if not completely static.
We are closing in on the opening of the Steelers’ several weeks of training camp. This year, we expect to see quite a bit of competition in Latrobe. It would be a good time to pause and take stock of where the team stands at each position as we head into the most critical process of the offseason.
Position: Running Back
Total Positional Figure: 7
Additions: 3
Deletions: 1
Players Retained:
Najee Harris: The former first-round pick and 2021 Pro Bowler started looking the part again in the second half of last season, a bit further removed from a Lisfranc foot injury that he suffered very early on in training camp. While the emergence of Jaylen Warren means he doesn’t have to be quite the same workhorse, you can still expect him to eclipse 300 touches and be the primary ballcarrier.
Jaylen Warren: How much will Warren be used as a traditional complementary back, and how much will his usage be situational? He himself has suggested that he anticipates being used more in passing situations, which implies specialization, but will he get entire series or will he come in and out of the game?
Anthony McFarland Jr.: Now three years removed from being drafted, it’s time for McFarland to make his move or have no moves to make. With Benny Snell Jr. no longer on the roster, he has a clear path. To his credit, he may have looked his best last season during training camp and the preseason even though he was squeezed off the roster and onto the practice squad.
Jason Huntley: Though a former fifth-round draft pick, Huntley has only ever played in five games in three years. He spent nearly the entire 2022 season on the Steelers’ practice squad. Even though he has a background in kick returns, his name was not mentioned as being a part of the return lines during OTAs and minicamp, but perhaps that will change in training camp. He had five career kick return touchdowns in college with a career 25.8-yard average for New Mexico State.
Players Added:
Alfonzo Graham: One of two running backs signed out of HBCUs following the HBCU Combine, Graham has drawn some buzz since appearing in rookie minicamp on a tryout invitation, later signed to the roster. A smaller back who plays faster than his timed speed, he could compete with McFarland for the third running back spot.
Darius Hagans: Like Graham, Hagans was signed, though a few weeks later, after the Steelers scouted him on the HBCU circuit and appearing in the Legacy Bowl. More in the traditional mold the team prefers for the position, he totaled roughly 2500 yards from scrimmage for his career at Virginia State.
Monte Pottebaum: While the only thing beat writers seem to want to talk about with Pottebaum is his mullet, he is an old-school thumper of a fullback—who may not have a place on this team. A college free agent signing, it is unclear if the Steelers intend to search for a true fullback this year or simply employ Connor Heyward there when applicable. He will have to earn his roster spot on special teams.
Players Lost:
Master Teague III: A training camp favorite who spent some time on the Steelers’ practice squad in 2022, the Steelers let Teague go in late May, about a week and a half before they signed Graham and a week and a half before Hagans.
Note and Camp Outlook:
The name of the game for Harris is simple: stay healthy. As for Warren, they are still feeling out the boundaries of his skillset and what they can ask him to do. But the third running back spot could be an interesting race. McFarland looked good in training camp last year, but not good enough to make the team. Graham especially could prove an interesting challenger. The odds are the team will add another running back along the way. As mentioned, Pottebaum’s best bet is absorbing everything special teams coordinator Danny Smith has to say. That’s the only way a true fullback can survive today on most teams’ rosters.
