How high will the Steelers draft a running back?
The Steelers are bound to draft a running back, and potentially very early, if you read the tea leaves. They have visited with just about every top running back in the draft, including two more yesterday. While they didn’t bring in Ashton Jeanty for a pre-draft visit, they would surely have him in their top 21.
But would the Steelers draft a running back in the first round, and if so, under what conditions? The thing is, while Jeanty might not be available then, a lot of the other backs they looked at probably won’t be available by their third-round pick. Without a selection in the second round, we have to consider some as potential first-round options.
Of course, the Steelers could draft a running back in the second round by trading back or trading up. While this draft is regarded as deep at the position, some also wonder if that will cause the collective group to sink. Minus two or three backs, most teams will view the class as rich enough to opt to wait.
Earlier this offseason, Pittsburgh allowed Najee Harris to leave in free agency and signed Kenneth Gainwell. Jaylen Warren returns on a second-round tender, and is currently the lead back. Opinions are mixed from beat writers about whether the Steelers want Warren as their starting running back or a rookie.
They can’t afford to be locked in to either idea, though, because it all depends on who is available and when. If they draft TreVeyon Henderson or Omarion Hampton, for example, they could potentially jump the proverbial line.
There is virtually no chance, after bringing in nine for pre-draft visits, that the Steelers don’t draft a running back. You don’t use 30 percent of your pre-draft visits on one position and then just say, “Well, it was fun talking”. And the types of running backs they looked at skew more toward the early and mid-rounds. The only question really outstanding, in my estimation, is how early they end up taking one. And the answer might end up being more than some fans would like, but this team wants to run the ball.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. There are other major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
