Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) runs against Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) and cornerback Kamari Lassiter (4) during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Steelers Have Tough RB Decision Ahead

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Ari Meyer | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 12:30 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a tough decision to make when it comes to their running back corps for the 2026 season.

With Jaylen Warren under an expensive contract due to him being the presumed top back for 2025, it makes it tough to see the Steelers retaining him and re-signing breakout running back Kenneth Gainwell.

Gainwell was signed to a near-league minimum deal for 2025 and will now be able to garner much more as a free agent. On an appearance on WDVE, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spoke about the upcoming tough decision, hinting things might not work out between the two sides.

"I would imagine what he'll be open to is testing the free agent market," Dulac said. "The Steelers... [are] giving Jaylen Warren $5.5 million. Are you gonna commit $6 million to Kenny Gainwell a year? Maybe. He's your team MVP".

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

When Gainwell was signed to the Steelers ahead of his 2025 campaign, he was given a contract worth $1.7 million, and he is nearly guaranteed to exceed that with his next deal. According to contract tracker and aggregator Spotrac, Gainwell's 2026 market value per year sits at $3 million.

In reality, Gainwell will likely earn more than the $3 million figure and will end up closer to Dulac's number.

How This Effects The Steelers' Plans

With that in mind, the Steelers find themselves in a tough spot. Much of their cap will be tied up in defensive players and big offensive contracts like DK Metcalf. The cap is set to expand this offseason, so the Steelers have an opportunity to spend, but not a requirement.

The question then lies in whether the Steelers are willing to invest a significant amount of cash into a running back tandem of Warren and Gainwell. Gainwell caught the most passes on the team while Warren was a bastion of consistency. Yet, it seemed that neither were able to break through and be a star in relation to the rest of the league.

In all likelihood, the Steelers are more inclined to press on and find a different second running back as opposed to re-signing Gainwell. With the team being relatively risk averse. when it comes to signing offensive talent, the odds that Gainwell is signed to anything long term with the Steelers seems to be quite low. Gainwell will have no problem finding a suitor elsewhere, but the Steelers would be passing on a known quantity when it comes to rushing talent.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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