Steelers Have Huge Problem In New Running Back Room That No One Is Talking About

Once the Pittsburgh Steelers declined the fifth-year option of Najee Harris back in the 2024 offseason, it was always expected that he would be on his way out in free agency in 2025. That is expected to happen when the new league year kicks off at 4pm on Wednesday afternoon. Jaylen Warren is now expected to be the lead back in the Steel City, but the draft has loads of talent at the position and fans can expect General Manager Omar Khan to target a ball-carrier in April. Additionally, the organization agreed to terms with Philadelphia Eagles backup Kenneth Gainwell on Tuesday.

The Steelers drafted Harris in the first round back in 2021, and while he had a decent four seasons in Pittsburgh, totaling over 1,000 yards rushing in all of them, his yards per carry numbers were far from impressive. He seemed to have a difficult time finding holes and hitting them quickly, which attributed to being stuffed near the line of scrimmage fairly often.

One thing, however, about Harris that will be missed is his durability. He has never missed an NFL game, which is saying a lot for someone who has a total of 1,097 carries over the span of four years. One top of that, Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly brought an extremely important point that should concern fans. Harris could be counted on for ball security, but the current make-up of the expected running back room can't be.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin is known for preaching that he would like to win the turnover battle consistently. Letting Harris walk in free agency presents a unique challenge that will have to be a big focus during training camp come the summertime. Ball security will be pivotal, and Kaboly noted something that needs to be talked about a little bit more. Pittsburgh should target a running back in the draft that has a collegiate history of taking care of the football.

Warren presents some very strong abilities for an undrafted back, but it's no secret that fumbles have hurt him throughout his career. Both he and Gainwell can catch the ball out of the backfield, which will be looked at as a positive, but cornerbacks and linebackers love to punch the ball out. Turnovers don't just kill drives, but also completely change the momentum of games. This is something that can't end up being an issue for the Steelers in 2025.

It is a bit surprising that Tomlin would welcome another running back with fumbling issues when there are some others still available during the legal tampering period. For example, Nick Chubb has only fumbled eight times in his seven-year career. Gainwell is a very solid third-down back that could significantly help the Steelers, but fans should keep an eye out for ball security throughout the 2025 campaign.

One of the big positives of a Warren and Gainwell duo is the fact that the two have averaged 4.8 and 4.2 yards, respectively, per carry throughout their careers. Pittsburgh is trying to have some more success running the ball and if the offensive line comes back strong, the new two-headed monster in the Steel City could provide that. The fumbling won't be tolerated; however, and there's no doubt about that.

Steelers Need A More Consistent Offense In 2025 And Beyond

Pittsburgh has invested a lot of money on the defensive side of the ball, but the unit isn't perfect. When it hasn't been, it's very rare that the offense steps up and answers the call. There have been some inconsistencies on the offensive line along with the quarterback position, but it's clear that the organization wanted to move on from Harris and go in a different direction. The hope is that the fumbling issues are solved for both Warren and Gainwell.

Do you like the Steelers move to offer Gainwell a contract? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation