Steelers Back Preparing for Bigger Role in Backfield

The Pittsburgh Steelers remade their running back room in the 2025 offseason. After four seasons, first-round running back Najee Harris hit the open market and quickly found a new home with the Los Angeles Chargers. In free agency, the Steelers signed veteran Kenneth Gainwell. Harris’ true replacement came later when Pittsburgh drafted Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson in Round 3.

Gainwell brings experience and versatility to the backfield, and Johnson’s power makes him a strong candidate to fill Harris’ shoes.

The most immediate reinforcement, though, is Jaylen Warren, who was re-signed with a second-round tender after hitting restricted free agency in March.

After three seasons in a complementary role, Warren is poised to take the brunt of Pittsburgh’s carries, especially in the early going. There’s a real chance he surpasses his career-high 149 carries, a responsibility he isn’t taking lightly.

"I approached this offseason differently," Warren said at minicamp, via the team’s website. "I did a lot more things for longevity wise, instead of my old-school training like just getting the cleats on and running 30 hills. I had to adapt. This game is about longevity. And like they say, the best ability is availability."

Warren hasn’t missed significant time as a pro, but he’s operated at less than 100 percent in his ancillary role. With more touches comes more wear and tear, making his preparation all the more important.

"No doubt about it, and that's the way I'm training," he said.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith shares a similar vision for Warren, even if his projection is clouded by the offseason’s additions.

"Generally you've got 500-plus carries in a regular season," Smith said. "You're talking about 1,100 snaps. You would like to be on the plus side of 500. That means you're in more four-minute. Let's leave it at 500 carries to divvy up. That's kind of where you're at. Then obviously losing Naj, Naj for four years here, he was very durable, and that's a lot of missing carries."

Harris had 1,097 carries with the Steelers, including at least 250 in every season. Gainwell will provide timely relief. Johnson, surely, will get opportunities to take the starting job. But for now, Warren, the elder statesman of the backfield, is the safest bet to see the most work in 2025.