Jaylen Warren’s impressive 62-yard touchdown run Saturday against the Buffalo Bills brought up an inevitable conversation. On the Internet, anyway. Should Warren take over Najee Harris’ starting spot? Who is the better back? What is Harris’ future with the team?
To a degree, those questions have validity. There is a conversation to be had about Warren’s role and how that impacts Harris. But so much of the discussion is the wrong one. This isn’t about who to play, Warren or Harris. This is not either/or. It’s both/and.
Pittsburgh has two talented running backs. That’s a good thing.
Objectively, Warren had the better training camp than Harris. Statistically, eye test in practice, and preseason performance, Warren has excelled. Though impressive as a rookie, he’s in his second year and you expect those guys to take a jump. Due to a camp foot injury last season, Harris was never in that position. And to be fair, Harris has been protected in practice and preseason. Not seeing much action and rarely tackled, there haven’t been many opportunities for him to look good. Pittsburgh’s only goal with Harris is to have him healthy for Week One.
But this is less about who is the better back and it’s certainly not about whether the Steelers should pick up his fifth-year option or re-sign him when his rookie deal is up. Those conversations are way down the road, so far you can’t even see the highway signs for that exit.
This isn’t about pitting one against the other. There’s no rivalry. These are two talented players who can serve as the bedrock of Pittsburgh’s run-centric ground game. Warren is a bowling ball with arms while Harris is the player you build in Madden, 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, not an ounce of fat on him. Both will have roles. Harris will see more early down work, Warren will continue to serve as the team’s third down back, and sure, he’ll rotate in on early downs. Probably more than last year.
The reason this conversation feels so “A or B” is probably because of the Steelers’ system. It’s rooted in a singular lead back. Old-school Mike Tomlin loves those types. It’s why Pittsburgh is obsessed with drafting big power backs. Guys who can handle the workload of the season. Rashard Mendenhall, James Conner, Najee Harris were all drafted to be those guys, each with varying results. Even backups fit that type. Benny Snell Jr. Jonathan Dwyer. Heck, remember when they drafted Frank “The Tank” Summers. Pittsburgh has a type. And when they’ve strayed, they’ve failed (Dri Archer, Chris Rainey, Anthony McFarland).
Even after the team signed DeAngelo Williams, he was a backup when Le’Veon Bell was healthy (across Weeks Three through Seven of the 2015 season, Williams played 32 offensive snaps and had 13 carries). Point is, the Steelers tend to have a workhorse and a clear back. This year, it’s an exception. It’s 1A and 1B, Harris and Warren. It’s a different table the team is setting. This isn’t a one-course meal. There’s a couple of side dishes. A helping of Najee Harris. A plate of Jaylen Warren. Maybe Connor Heyward or Anthony McFarland Jr. for dessert. Steelers fans have become so accustomed to there just being one guy, a lone ranger, that it’s sorta weird to talk about someone else being in the picture.
Harris is talented. Warren is talented. Hooray. We can debate and discuss the exact levers the team should pull, how much and when each should play, but it’s better for the team to have two talented backs than none at all. They’ve sure been there before. They’re not there now.
Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren come from two different paths. Harris the top-recruit, the first round pick. Warren the underdog, from Snow College to undrafted free agent. None of that matters now. They’re on the same team. Literally. And they’ll make the offense go.
