The Pittsburgh Steelers have not found a consistent flow on offense for several years now. Even when Ben Roethlisberger was in his final seasons with the organization, the unit struggled with Matt Canada calling the plays. The franchise hired Arthur Smith to lead the group after the 2023 campaign, but the veteran coach's first stretch in the Steel City did not go swimmingly. The goal was expected to be for the offense to have a power run game with an effective play-action passing attack, but there were injuries on the line, Najee Harris wasn't consistent, and Jaylen Warren dealt with some injuries as well.
After Harris left the Steelers during his first experience with free agency, Warren was expected to be the workhorse for 2025, but opinions on that quickly shifted after the team selected Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. A two-back system could certainly be in play for Pittsburgh, but Kenneth Gainwell could also get some opportunities to contribute.
Picking Johnson sent a clear message to the locker room, and that's the fact that the franchise's decision-makers were not happy with the current state of the positional group before the draft. Players dream of signing a significant contract in the NFL, but it is hard for individuals like Warren to accomplish that, especially after being undrafted.
It's clear that the Steelers are looking forward to slowly working in Johnson as the future of the backfield, which could absolutely turn off someone like Warren who is looking for a new contract. If the organization does not decide to give Warren a commitment for the future, and a substantial one at that, then the running back could decide to play out the 2025 campaign with something to prove. He could then follow the path of Harris and look to move on in 2026.
Warren will finally get a taste of significant cash during his fourth professional season, as his restricted free agent tender is valued at roughly $5.35 million. He wasn't making a lot in NFL terms during his first three campaigns, so he will look for a decent contract somewhere in the near future. That could be with the Steeles, but if he feels as if Johnson will get the majority of carries moving forward, he could be wearing a different jersey in 2026.
There isn't a doubt that the Steelers want to emphasize running the football, and a duo of Warren and Johnson could be lethal. The main issue with this fact is that the more experienced player in Warren may feel as if he deserves to be a clear-cut starter for several more seasons. The selection of Johnson sends the wrong message to Warren if Pittsburgh wants the former undrafted free agent to be the future at the position.
There is a scenario where the Steelers' front office recognizes Warren's worth and pays him a substantial amount on a three-year extension. This would give the team a powerful running-back duo for the next four years. The main piece to the puzzle is both players realizing that they would be part of a full-fledged two-back system. Egos can get in the way of something like this, but if both remain humble, it absolutely can be worked out.
Steelers Could Have One Of The League's Most Formidable Running Back Tandems
Teams that end up winning championships have plenty of selfless players throughout the roster. Pittsburgh will need that in both Warren and Johnson. The two have the potential to create a dynamic duo that will wreak havoc on the entire league, but the key to this will be accepting the fact that split carries could be a necessity. Time will tell, but the hope is that Warren understands his role and is willing to accept a moderate extension with the organization sooner rather than later.
