5 Potential Rico Dowdle Replacements for Steelers

Travis Homer

Homer was elevated from the practice squad ahead of Pittsburgh's bout with the Patriots.

Though he's almost strictly a special teamer, evidenced by the fact that he played 10 snaps on that side of the ball against New England, Homer also racked up 16 yards on two carries while Dowdle was sidelined.

Homer can still be elevated two more times before he must be signed to the 53-man roster or placed on waivers before potentially re-signing to the practice squad.

He doesn't offer much upside offensively, though he is an eight-year veteran who at least proved that he can be efficient over a small sample size.

Eli Heidenreich

As the only other running back on the 53-man roster beyond Warren and Dowdle, Heidenreich has an inherent advantage in that regard over Nichols and Homer.

The seventh-round pick out of Navy has just three touches on offense across two games thus far, though, while serving as a return specialist and special teamer for the Steelers.

Heidenreich isn't necessarily a skilled runner, with his offensive value coming from his versatility and pass-catching ability, though he did show some flashes in the preseason finale vs. the Buffalo Bills by running for 35 yards and a touchdown on nine attempts.

Antonio Gibson

Gibson tore his ACL in Week 5 last season as a member of the New England Patriots and was later cut in February.

He's remained a free agent ever since, though he's a capable backup running back to throw into the mix for Pittsburgh who has also returned 56 kicks for 1,407 yards and a touchdown during his career.

In his last full season back in 2024, Gibson finished with 744 yards from scrimmage (538 rushing, 206 receiving) for New England.

The Steelers could stash Gibson on their practice squad as a solid veteran option and call on him down the line as one of several potential replacements for Dowdle.

Jerome Ford

Ford signed to the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad on September 16, but Pittsburgh could still sign him to its 53-man roster in a pinch.

The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders this offseason and was later released with an injury settlement in August.

Ford, as a member of the Cleveland Browns, finished the 2025 campaign on the reserve/injured list with a shoulder injury. He was not efficient for the team when healthy last year, posting 176 yards from scrimmage on 50 touches in 13 games, though he ran for a combined 1,378 yards and seven touchdowns while racking up 544 yards and five scores through the air on 81 catches between the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

Opening up a 53-man roster spot for Ford would only be possible if Dowdle lands on IR or if the Steelers cut someone else in order to carry four running backs, but he'd make sense as a possible addition if that's the route they take.