The Pittsburgh Steelers running back room has undergone significant change from last season, with the team drafting Kaleb Johnson and signing Kenneth Gainwell to go along with Jaylen Warren. Fresh off a new contract extension, Warren will lead the backfield, but offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said on Thursday that the Warren-Gainwell-Johnson rotation will be a fluid one.
“You look at the totality of the season, and if we’re playing longer, that’s a lot of carries to divvy out. So it could change week-to-week, something could come, but all three of those guys would be ready,” Smith said via transcript provided by the team.
“You look at the totality of the season, and if we’re playing longer, that’s a lot of carries to divvy out. So it could change week-to-week, something could come, but all three of those guys would be ready,” Smith said via transcript provided by the team.
Warren and Gainwell are two of the better pass-protecting running backs in the league, and both are skilled receivers. During training camp, the Steelers sometimes lined Gainwell out wide, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the team was creative in how it used him. While much of the running back attention has focused on Warren and Johnson, the team could utilize Gainwell in a number of ways throughout the season.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said it will surprise people how often the Steelers use Gainwell early in the season, and he could have the edge on Johnson while the rookie gets his feet wet. But Johnson is a powerful runner who’s dangerous in the open field, and the skill sets of all three can complement each other.
The Steelers’ rushing attack was a disappointment in training camp, and it’s an area where the team will need to improve in the regular season. While Aaron Rodgers has a lot of talent, even at 41 years old, the team can’t solely rely on him and the passing attack to generate offense. It’ll be interesting to see how Warren handles a bigger role, as 2025 will be the first time he’s really taken on the mantle as a lead back. Johnson and Gainwell can factor in to bolster the output of the group, but Warren will likely be the top dog at running back early in the season.
The Steelers’ run game hasn’t been as effective over the past few seasons, but Smith wants to run the football. With him potentially returning to his core zone-run scheme, one that Johnson ran a lot at Iowa, it will hopefully lead to better results, and the combination of three players who can all be effective should allow the Steelers to find some success in utilizing their backfield.
