Coming off the end of the 2023 season in which the duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren took over games, it was clear then that Pittsburgh Steelers had quite the tandem in the backfield and one of the better RB rooms in the NFL.
That belief was only strengthened this offseason after the Steelers hired Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator, selected three offensive linemen within their first five picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, and added another veteran to the room in Cordarrelle Patterson, giving Pittsburgh terrific depth in the room.
Where do they rank overall compared to the rest of the NFL? CBS Sports tried to answer that Monday morning, ranking the Steelers within Tier 2 in the NFL, in the same discussion as the likes of the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Tier 1 in the NFL features the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers.
“The Steelers are another club that has multiple backs capable of carrying a heavy workload,” CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan writes of placing the Steelers in Tier 2. “Najee Harris has gone over 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first three seasons in the league, while Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson both offer an electric change of pace.”
Based on the style of football the Steelers want to play, which head coach Mike Tomlin stated after the draft was to “roll people”, the pieces are in place.
Harris is the big, durable, dependable workhorse, one who might not have the eye-popping numbers but will wear defenses down time and time again. At nearly 240 pounds, he is a load to deal with not only throughout games, but throughout the season as well. He hasn’t missed a game in his career, which is rather remarkable at the running back position. Now entering a contract year after the Steelers shockingly declined his fifth-year option, he’s all the more motivated to prove himself further.
Late last season Harris came on strong and looked like the back the Steelers always hoped he would be, barreling his way to two-straight 100-yard games in wins over Seattle in Week 17 and Baltimore in Week 18. He also had a good season from an explosive runs standpoint, which isn’t something many consider part of his game. Harris had 24 10-plus-yard runs on the season, according to Pro Football Focus, which was tied with Warren for seventh in the NFL.
Warren is that ideal change-of-pace back, one who can handle a No. 1-type workload at times. Though he appears much better suited as a change-of-pace guy, he runs incredibly hard, refuses to go down on first contact despite his smaller stature, and really pairs nicely with Harris as two physical, punishing runners who can wear defenses out.
Warren is truly the lightning to Harris’s thunder.
Adding Patterson was quite a grab for the Steelers and GM Omar Khan. Of course, his addition was focused more on the kick return rule change in the NFL, the Steelers landing a potential Hall of Famer who is arguably the greatest return man in NFL history, even above Hall of Famer Devin Hester.
He can handle RB duties as well, having shown during his time in Atlanta under Smith that he can bring those return abilities to the backfield, rushing for 1,494 yards and 14 touchdowns on 347 carries in three seasons with the Falcons.
The running back room in Pittsburgh is very deep and quite talented. With a rebuilt offensive line in front of them, the Steelers’ running backs should thrive in 2024.
