The Pittsburgh Steelers signed RB Jaylen Warren to a two-year contract extension today, and his new three-year deal isn’t going to take the proverbial chip off Warren’s shoulder. An undrafted free agent, Warren has emerged as Pittsburgh’s lead back heading into 2025, and he said his new contract is only going to motivate him further.
“If anything, it’s gonna add more chips,” Warren told the media today via Steelers.com.
While Warren is in line to start for the Steelers, a well-deserved role after three solid seasons sharing the backfield with Najee Harris, he still has to hold off Kaleb Johnson. Pittsburgh’s third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft will have a role early in the season, and while Warren will get the majority of snaps and is still a much better receiver and pass blocker than Johnson, he can’t lose his motivation if he wants to remain the team’s starter.
He also wants to prove that the Steelers made the right decision in giving him an extension and reward their faith in him. With it being a two-year extension, he also could be in line for a third contract if he plays well on this deal, and while that’s not going to be at the forefront of his mind after just signing an extension, it’s still something to consider.
Even though he got off to a bit of a slow start last season while he dealt with injuries, Warren was solid in the second half and has been one of the most consistent Steelers over the last three seasons. He had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2023 and added 61 receptions to go with 784 yards on the ground, and he certainly deserves the new three-year contract with $12 million guaranteed he received from Pittsburgh.
Working in an offense that could utilize three running backs this year, another productive season out of Warren will be huge for the success of the team’s offense. While he’s a strong runner, his ability as a pass blocker and receiver could really come in handy with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and it’s his overall game that made him a running back the Steelers were willing to extend for the first time in nearly 20 years.
It’s a cool story for an undrafted free agent to earn a second contract, and Warren is out to prove that he’ll be worth every cent the Steelers are paying him over the next three seasons.
