The Pittsburgh Steelers are most of the way through the first part of the offseason leading to the draft. Before we get there, we’re going to take stock of how the roster has evolved over the past several weeks. Position by position, we’ll break down who’s coming and going and what’s next, for those rookies and those already here.
Position: Running Back
Total Positional Figure: 6
Offseason Additions: 2
Offseason Deletions: 1
Players Retained:
Jaylen Warren: Going into the 2025 NFL Draft, Jaylen Warren is positioned as the Steelers’ top running back. They tendered him as a restricted free agent at the second-round level, which was up in the air. Combined with the decision not to re-sign Najee Harris, the table is set for him to take center stage.
Cordarrelle Patterson: At least for the time being, Cordarrelle Patterson remains under contract. The Steelers signed him primarily to be their kick returner last season, but he was thoroughly ineffective in that role. Though he showed flashes at running back, it doesn’t really justify a $2,800,000 salary. Will he make it to the 53-man roster, or will they cut ties some time along the way?
Aaron Shampklin: A former Futures signing, Shampklin is still on the Steelers’ roster. He played in three games last year, logging 28 offensive snaps and 13 on special teams. On six carries, he totaled 17 yards with one first down. Best-case scenario, he is likely competing for a practice squad spot.
Jonathan Ward: An NFL veteran with a bigger special teams role than offensive one, Jonathan Ward played 69 snaps for the Steelers in 2024, of which 59 were in the former capacity. He played in four games, rushing five times for 22 yards. He also made two tackles.
Players Added:
Kenneth Gainwell: The Steelers signed Kenneth Gainwell in free agency, the veteran coming over from the Eagles. With an ideal last name for a running back, he enters the fray on a cheap contract. While he offers some intriguing athleticism, the production hasn’t always been there. Last year, in fact, he posted an abysmal 24-percent run-success rate. The Steelers seem to be cautiously optimistic about him, but what kind of role do they envision for him?
Evan Hull: The Steelers signed Evan Hull to a Futures deal at the end of the 2024 season. A 2023 fifth-round pick, he has minimal in-game NFL experience. Profiling as a third-down back, he is likely competing for a practice squad spot.
Players Deleted:
Najee Harris: The former Steelers first-round pick signed with the Chargers on a one-year, incentive-laden deal. If they wanted to, they certainly could have matched the offer. The Steelers hate doing incentives, but one gets the sense they never seriously considered re-signing him at market value. Especially in hindsight, it seems their decision not to pick up his fifth-year option was final.
Notes And Draft Outlook:
At this point, we can’t take anything off the table. The Steelers moving on from Najee Harris is a seismic shift after four years. If for no other reason, they are losing about 600-700 snaps and 300-350 touches. Drafting another running back in the first round is not ideal, but it’s certainly a possibility. With no second-round pick, they would have to wait until the middle rounds otherwise. They could find a contributor in the fourth round, but if they envision a strong run game, they may want to take one earlier. Adding another prominent veteran seems unlikely, even if they were to release Patterson.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering why I didn’t start with quarterback, it’s because we’re still waiting to see what’s going on there. Thanks, Aaron Rodgers.
