The Pittsburgh Steelers will have an interesting running back room entering the 2025 season. Former undrafted free agent Jaylen Warren will be expected to take on the bulk of the carries for the first time in his career. Right behind him is third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson, who could eventually earn the ability to play more snaps as he develops in the NFL. After that, Cordarrelle Patterson and Kenneth Gainwell will be fighting for that last slot in the running back room for significant touches this year, as well as the role of primary kickoff returner.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren stiff arms a Ravens defender on a run.
During a recent post-practice interview, Warren spoke about how preparing to be a starter is different than previous years, where he would be a backup.
"I approached this offseason differently," Warren said. "I did a lot more things for longevity wise, instead of my old-school training, like just getting the cleats on and running 30 hills. I had to adapt. This game is about longevity. And like they say, the best ability is availability."
Previously, Warren would be used as a changeup style back and more of a complementary piece. He would come in to show opposing defenses something new, as well as give Najee Harris a breather. He looked like a starter in 2023, as he racked up 1,000 all-purpose yards despite only playing 49% of offensive snaps. That ability led to Pittsburgh giving him a second-round Restricted Free Agent (RFA) tender in the 2025 offseason.
Warren didn't get into specifics about what he did to change his training regiment, but based on his comments, he seems to be putting more effort into his conditioning and preparation than in previous years. Running 30 hills is still a hard task, but players have to keep pushing themselves to prove they belong. The Steelers know that he belongs on the team, but will he belong in the starting lineup every week?
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Jaylen Warren (#30) has provided a much-needed spark to the team.
Now is Warren's chance to earn a real payday. He will be in direct competition with Johnson to see who gets the most snaps as time goes on. If the fourth-year back can prove that he can handle a starter's workload and take advantage of the extra touches, someone will be more than happy to throw plenty of money at him, whether it's Pittsburgh or any other running back-needy team.
Steelers May Not Be Big Fans Of Recent Running Back Trends
Lately, the running back market has rebounded with more teams starting to go back to run-first offenses. Guys like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have proven to be great players when they are put in quality systems, even after the usual time when rushers start to decline. Because of that, teams are starting to respect that position again and pay them more.
That means if Warren plays well as a starter, he will be somewhat expensive to keep around. The Steelers would have a very tough decision to make in the 2026 offseason. Would they keep Warren around to have that 1-2 punch of different skill sets in the backfield, or would they roll with Johnson and search for another backup? Pittsburgh has nine months to figure that out.
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Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen tackles Steelers RB Jaylen Warren.
As for Warren, he got his tender for 2025, so he's not worried about contract stuff yet. All he's focused on is being a great starting running back. The human bowling ball is getting ready to knock down any of the pins that stand in his way. He's become a fan favorite for his toughness and all-around talents. Soon, the world will see if his new training regimen will pay off for him and if he can handle a large increase in touches and snaps.
What do you think about Warren changing his offseason conditioning workouts to fit his new role as a possible starter? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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