As running back Jaylen Warren enters his third year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his entry-level undrafted free agent contract is nearing its end. Warren is scheduled to become a restricted free agent next offseason. While the Steelers will have right of first refusal on Warren’s rights for 2025, there’s not much long-term security in Warren’s current situation.
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Warren’s running mate, Najee Harris, had his fifth-year option declined this offseason meaning he will become a free agent following the 2024 season, too. There is little chance that the Steelers let both of them walk next offseason meaning one of them should be back and Warren is not out of the running to be that guy.
As a undrafted guy, Warren will demand less money than the former first-round pick and he has less wear-and-tear than Harris does. Regardless, Warren is not concerned about any of that and is just focused on winning a Super Bowl with the Steelers.
“To be honest, I’m not even worried about that,” Warren said after OTAs wrapped up in June. “I’m just worried about winning the Super Bowl.”
In 2024, Warren and Harris are expected to do much more for the team under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. According to Warren, running backs are heavily featured as receiving threats in Smith’s offense. Last season in Atlanta, Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier ranked inside of the top seven in receptions throughout the season.
“Oh yeah. We’re involved a lot in the pass game,“ Warren said about the running backs. “Learning the new offense, it’s a whole bunch we’re involved in. I’m excited for that. … Wherever I’m called at, when I’m called, I just go out there and perform, do what I can for the team.”
Additionally, under Smith, there is a sense of direction in the offense. This is something that Warren is not used to during his time with the Steelers as he spent his first two-years under the under-qualified Matt Canada. With that sense of direction, Warren is excited for what the offense can become once they find their identity.
“Everybody’s bought into one thing,” Warren said. “There’s no space wondering how we’re trying to run our offense. Everybody’s on the same page and I think you can tell a huge difference with that. … We’re still looking for an identity. We don’t know what’s there yet. But, we’re all bought into the same narrow road.”
As the Steelers enter the 2024 season with high expectations for Warren and Harris, and with a new offensive game plan that will feature them heavily, expect the duo to threaten their career numbers this season. The Steelers are definitely going to try to keep Warren in Pittsburgh following this season but his play may price them out of the race.
30 • Jaylen Warren, Running Back, Oklahoma State
5-foot-8, 215 pounds, 25 years old, 3rd Season
Acquired: The Steelers signed Jaylen Warren as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft.
Last Season: In his second professional season, Jaylen Warren played as Najee Harris’ backup in all 17 games. His role expanded in 2023 and he set career highs in carries (149), rushing yards (784) and rushing touchdowns (4). He added 61 receptions for 370 yards through the air.
Warren and Harris became the first set of Steelers running backs to rush for at least 750 yards each in a single season since Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley did it in 2004.
Career: Like he did at all three colleges that he played at, Jaylen Warren bursted on to the scene as a rookie for the Steelers in 2022. He carved out an important role as the team’s primary backup to Najee Harris.
Warren, like most rookies, started slow as he appeared in the Steelers’ Week 1 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals and totaled three carries for 7 yards. People began to notice the smaller running back in Week 3 and by Week 8 he was being featured in the offense.
In Week 15, Warren carried the ball 11 times for 38 yards and scored his first professional touchdown. Two weeks later, Warren received a season-high 12 carries and tallied a season-high 76 rushing yards.
Warren finished his impressive rookie season with 77 carries for 379 yards, one touchdown and one fumble. Over his first tw0 seasons, Warren has played in 33 games and logged 226 rushing attempts, 1,163 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns.
| Year | GP | Carries | Yards | AVG | TDs |
| 2022 | 16 | 77 | 379 | 4.9 | 1 |
| 2023 | 17 | 149 | 784 | 5.3 | 4 |
College: Jaylen Warren committed to Snow University, a junior college, out of high school after being under-recruited and immediately played above expectations. As a freshman, Warren played in nine games and recorded 116 carries for 878 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
In 2018, Warren stayed at Snow and his production increased in every major category for a running back. Warren totaled 167 carries for 1,435 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore. Warren became the 2018 NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year and earned JUCO All-American honors following his exceptional season.
Prior to the 2019 season, Warren transferred to the Division 1 school, Utah State. As a junior, Warren played in 12 games for the Aggies and finished the season with 112 carries for 569 yards and five touchdowns. His 569 rushing yards ranked second on the team.
Warren entered his senior season with lofty expectations but COVID ruined that plan as he played only three games and started two of them for the Aggies. With COVID, Warren received an extra year of college eligibility and he transferred to Oklahoma State for his final year.
Warren meshed well with the Oklahoma State offense and gameplan which catapulted him into the starting role for the Cowboys. Warren played in 14 games and racked up 1,216 yards on 256 carries and 11 touchdowns. As a result of his excellent season, Warren was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and was an honorable mention for the conferences’ Offensive Player of the Year award.
| Year | School | GP | Carries | Yards | TDs |
| 2017 | Snow (Juco) | 9 | 116 | 878 | 8 |
| 2018 | Snow (Juco) | 9 | 167 | 1,435 | 15 |
| 2019 | Utah State | 12 | 112 | 569 | 5 |
| 2020 | Utah State | 3 | 39 | 252 | 3 |
| 2021 | Oklahoma State | 14 | 256 | 1,216 | 11 |
Salary cap and future: Jaylen Warren signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. The contract a three-year, $2.57 million deal. Warren is entering the final year of that deal and will cost $989,000 against the Steelers’ cap space.
Warren will become a restricted free agent following this season.
