Player: RB Kenneth Gainwell
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Veteran RB Kenneth Gainwell is drawing a surprising amount of buzz going into his first season with the Steelers. Though he figures to situate third on the depth chart, he can still have a meaningful role. The coaching staff appears to really like him, and that’s as good a place to start as any.
The Steelers signed two former Eagles this offseason who won the Super Bowl with Philadelphia last year. One is six-time Pro Bowl CB Darius Slay, the other is RB Kenneth Gainwell. While far more people rightly know the former, Gainwell is already adding to the locker room.
Steelers RB coach Eddie Faulkner told reporters that he gave Gainwell free reign to serve as a leader in his room. He has the experience, both in the game and in success, so his voice carries weight. And he already did that in Philadelphia, so it’s natural for him to carry it over to here.
By all accounts, the coaching staff appears to be high on Kenneth Gainwell. While he isn’t likely to earn many carries ahead of Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson, he could in some instances. Though his career numbers don’t always show it, he offers some slipperiness. There has been the suggestion that he could be the third-down back, for example, or at least take something off Warren’s plate.
Of course, he isn’t going to have some massive role. Over four seasons, Kenneth Gainwell has only played 1,372 offensive snaps, with a high of 442. He logged that in 2023, when the Eagles didn’t have Saquon Barkley.
Then again, the Steelers don’t have Saquon Barkley either, and they like to run the ball. Jaylen Warren is not a workhorse, and Kaleb Johnson has no NFL experience. That leaves some room for Gainwell to, well, gain a foothold in the offense.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
