The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t forgetting about RB Jaylen Warren simply because they added Kaleb Johnson within the third spherical yesterday. In any case, they’re scheduled to pay him greater than $5 million this yr, and so they’ll need their cash’s price. Whereas we’ll must see precisely what that appears like in a post-Najee Harris world, OC Arthur Smith made positive to carry him up.
“There are numerous carries you’ll be able to divvy up”, he mentioned, describing the dashing load minus Harris. “We’re actually enthusiastic about the place Jaylen [Warren]’s at coming into this spring”, the Steelers OC added. He additionally praised Warren’s “extraordinarily precious” talent set in safety on vital downs, which he wasn’t able to decide to a rookie working again until vital.
Earlier this offseason, they parted firm with their four-year starter, Najee Harris. For his ultimate three years, he shared a Steelers backfield with Jaylen Warren, who ate up an increasing number of snaps. With Harris not right here, it’s Warren paired with Johnson, supplemented by Kenneth Gainwell and Cordarrelle Patterson.
On distributing the Steelers’ working again duties, Smith mentioned, “That simply depends upon the sport and the place Kaleb [Johnson]’s at”. He described desirous to take some issues off of Johnson’s plate. “Every thing’s new to him; the rookie yr’s lengthy for these guys”.
That’s not how the Steelers dealt with Najee Harris as a rookie, who seemingly by no means got here off the sector. He stayed in for move safety and even set a Steelers working again file for receptions. Nevertheless, Jaylen Warren appeared to transform Steelers HC Mike Tomlin right into a believer in a committee method.
Broadly talking, the Steelers have by no means precisely examined Jaylen Warren’s “bell cow” skill. He by no means recorded 70-plus p.c of the snaps in a sport, with solely 12 of fifty p.c or extra. His career-high carries in a sport with the Steelers is simply 15, with solely 12 double-digit outings. Granted, receiving is a giant a part of his sport, however he averages underneath 10 touches per sport.
In 2023, Warren had his greatest season for the Steelers, final season marred by harm. That yr, in 17 video games, he recorded 210 touches, 1,154 yards from scrimmage, and 4 touchdowns. He rushed for 784 yards and 4 touchdowns on 149 carries and 370 receiving yards on 61 catches.
Past his skill with the ball in his palms, Warren can also be an excellent move protector. They’ve relied on him as their third-round again since his rookie season, and the Steelers signed him as a school free agent. They put numerous belief in him from very early on, and the shiny new toy gained’t change that. He’s, in any case, a giant a part of why they let Najee Harris stroll within the first place.
