Breaking down the current state of Pittsburgh’s RB position

With the 2024-25 NFL season one game away from its conclusion, it is time for some impactful decisions to be made. The Pittsburgh Steelers will once again be at the forefront of the NFL media this offseason as they have question marks at various crucial positions.

One of those crucial positions is in the backfield at running back. Both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are free agents (with Warren being a restricted free agent), looking for new deals — whether that be with the Steelers or not. So, let us take a deeper look into the Steelers’ running back room and whether or not re-signing Harris or Warren is a good idea for 2025 and beyond.

Najee Harris’s resume

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Believe it or not, Harris has been an NFL back for four seasons. In those four years, he is the only running back in the NFL that has eclipsed 1,000 or more yards each season. Despite a mixed bag of praise and criticism, the stats do not lie. So, here are some of Harris’ notable stats over his tenure thus far in Pittsburgh.

• 68 games played (has yet to miss a single game in NFL career)
• 4,312 rushing yards
• 28 rushing touchdowns
• 5 fumbles (zero in 2021 or 2024)
• 1,149 receiving yards
• 6 receiving touchdowns

While Harris’ main flaw has been his end zone appearances, the rest of his resume is rather impressive. The young running back has proven to take care of the football with just five fumbles in four years. He has also shown Iron Man tendencies, as he has yet to miss a start in his NFL career.

With Harris in the backfield, you are guaranteed grit on every snap. He is a physical runner who fights for every yard and is not afraid to get his hands dirty. He has made a handful of highlight plays for the black and gold during his time here and will no doubt continue making those plays wherever he ends up.

In a league that requires more from their running backs than ever, Harris quietly performs at a high level. Fans and media are quick to criticize the Alabama product, but it is hard to picture a Steelers’ team without 22 in the backfield.

Jaylen Warren’s resume

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Oklahoma State’s Warren has proven to be one of the true underdog stories in the NFL. The undrafted 2022 signing for Pittsburgh has more than panned out. At 5-foot-8 and 215 pounds, the bowling ball has wrecked his fair share of opponents in his three years with the black and gold. Here are Warren’s key statistics with a slightly smaller sample size than Harris’s.

• 48 games played
• 1,674 rushing yards
• 6 rushing touchdowns
• 7 fumbles
• 894 receiving yards
• Averaging 2.6 receptions per game

Granted that Warren has primarily served as the backup to Harris during his three years, he too comes in with a rather impressive resume. His ability in both the rushing and receiving game has opened up the playbook massively for Pittsburgh.

Warren is an elite No. 2 punch to the No. 1 Harris. His speed, agility, and strength highlight what makes him a worthy NFL starter. He has fought to prove a point his entire collegiate and NFL career; now it is hopefully time for the fourth-year man to earn his reward.

While Warren has yet to show his potential as a true No. 1 back in the league, he has taken over games himself in Pittsburgh. Whether or not he gets the chance to be the guy in Pittsburgh or elsewhere, one team is going to be lucky to have 30 on their side.

The Verdict: Should the Steelers re-sign Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren?

Again, there are plenty of scenarios that could happen with this RB room for Pittsburgh. What I believe is best for this team is that if you can keep both, you keep both. Harris and Warren have proven to be one of the best running back tandems in the NFL over the last three seasons.

If they are each willing to slightly cut their pay to remain in Pittsburgh, it should be a no-brainer to bring them both back. While there are plenty of talented backs in the 2025 NFL draft, you are essentially restarting what is already in front of you. Besides, who knows how these draftees will pan out, you have a sure thing with Warren and Harris.

Diving into free agency for a back has shown to be incredibly valuable according to recent history. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley significantly changed the trajectories of their new teams’ seasons. So much so, that they were the two best backs in the NFL all season. If the Steelers decide to pass on Harris, Warren or both, it will be interesting if they look to make a big splash similar to what Baltimore and Philadelphia did.

The last option would be to part ways with one man and keep the other. As hard as it would be to see either man leave, you would have to think Harris is the guy that remains. Harris has proven he can be a bell-cow running back, and while he is certainly better with Warren, he can do it himself. The same cannot be said for Warren just yet, as he has yet to play a full season as the No. 1 back. So, if Pittsburgh hypothetically keeps Harris and parts ways with Warren, then what? Well, this would allow the Steelers to use the opening rounds of the draft to focus on other important positions and potentially snag a sidekick for Harris later.

Once again, this story is full of hypotheticals and what-ifs. However, out of all the options Pittsburgh has, keeping Harris and Warren looks like the best to me.