Steelers Veteran Bound To Be Released Any Day Now: "Give It Time"

Most of the 2025 offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers has centered around the quarterback and wide receiver positions. One of the areas of the depth chart that has not been discussed nearly enough is the running back position. With Najee Harris leaving in free agency, Jaylen Warren was expected to be the lead back for at least a season, but the selection of Kaleb Johnson in the 2025 NFL Draft has many wondering what the approach on offense will be regarding the duo. There are also other ball-carriers on the roster that will be fighting to get at least a little bit of playing time.

Warren and Johnson are expected to get the bulk of the carries, but the Steelers also have Kenneth Gainwell, Cordarrelle Patterson and Trey Sermon under contract. There are only so many snaps on offense to go around, which is why it may cause the team to part ways with one of the individuals currently on the depth chart as the franchise's offseason activities get underway. 

Some may believe that Sermon has no place in the running backs' room, but Patterson is also an interesting name to watch out for. The veteran was initially signed in 2024 after the NFL changed the kickoff rules, but Patterson's first year in the Steel City was far from impressive. That could potentially lead to him being cut before the regular season gets underway.

Plenty of reporters will give their opinions over the next few weeks, but only a select few have direct knowledge of certain situations. During one of his weekly fan chats, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Gerry Dulac fielded questions from plenty of people worried about the team. The team's running back situation was brought into question and when someone simply asked when Patterson would be cut, Dulac gave a very straightforward answer.

"Give it time," Dulac wrote.

While the reporter didn't have too much to say about Patterson's future, his response painted a pretty clear picture. Patterson did not provide much value to the Steelers throughout his first season with the organization, so it is very likely that he soon will be seeking new employment. It would make sense to part ways with him due to the crowded nature of the running backs' room, along with the fact that Patterson was not impressive at all when returning kicks in 2024.

It is very fair for fans to criticize the fact that Patterson is still on the Steelers' roster. Warren, Johnson and Gainwell are perfectly capable of handling the duties in the backfield, while Patterson had very little success returning kickoffs with Pittsburgh in 2024 too as mentioned. Injuries do occur and other factors come into play, but it would likely be looked at as a surprise if Patterson was on the 53-man roster come the 2025 regular season.

The Steelers are known to be loyal, but Patterson has never been, and likely won't be, an important figure in the organization. Many fans believed that he would be released by now, but clearly something else is going on behind closed doors. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for arguably the best kickoff return man in NFL history, because there surely does not seem like there are enough touches to go around for Pittsburgh's running backs.

Steelers Could Be Keeping Patterson Around Until Another Veteran Presence Shows Up

Pittsburgh is young on the offensive side of the ball. The team has a questionable quarterback situation, but also does not have many true leaders when it comes to the offense. Patterson may not be set to make a big impact on the field, but he could still be around because of his presence in the locker room. That could all change, however, if a certain veteran quarterback in Aaron Rodgers were to decide that he wants to come play in the Steel City.

Do you think that the Steelers will cut Patterson? If so, why haven't they done it by now? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation