In an uncommon series of events, the Steelers have two running backs on similar multiyear deals each coming off career-best seasons. With both Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle having similar contracts and similar recent production, there doesn’t appear to be a clear RB1 in Pittsburgh at the moment.
Looking solely at the money, Dowdle’s two-year, $12.25MM free agent contract just outweighs the incumbent starter’s two-year, $11.9MM extension. Looking solely at production, Dowdle’s 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns once again just outshine Warren’s totals of 1,291 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. Both comparisons are close enough, though, that it’s hard to come to any hard conclusions either way. Plus, the two are quite different in their styles of play.
An undrafted player out of Oklahoma State, Warren spent his first three years in Pittsburgh as a change-of-pace and third-down back behind starter Najee Harris. He displayed promising abilities catching passes out of the backfield early and often, and his 784 yards and four touchdowns while sharing touches with Harris in Year 2 showed he can handle a higher volume of rushing touches as an RB2.
Also an undrafted player to start his career, Dowdle saw very little time on the Cowboys offense in his first three years in the league as he sat behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. In 2023, Dowdle stepped into the Cowboys’ RB2 role behind Pollard with Elliott no longer in the picture. Dowdle showed enough in his first look at extended time that Dallas tabbed him as RB1 after Pollard moved on in free agency. After recording a 1,000-yard season in his first starting opportunity, Dowdle landed in Carolina in free agency and started as RB2 behind Hubbard before taking over and completing a second straight 1,000-yard campaign.
One thing working in Dowdle’s favor is his history with the Steelers’ new head coach, Mike McCarthy. The two worked together when McCarthy was the head coach in Dallas, so Dowdle will have some familiarity with the offensive play-caller’s system. Having spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, though, Warren has existing chemistry with the returning players of the offense, including veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In an appearance yesterday on the Steelers Collective, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette argued that he was looking forward to the possibility of Warren returning to a third-down, receiving back role as a change of pace to Dowdle. Fans have mourned the loss of Kenneth Gainwell to Tampa Bay in free agency after he filled that role last year, but Fittipaldo believes the combination of Dowdle and Warren could improve on the production of Warren and Gainwell last year.
The Steelers have two capable producers populating the backfield in Pittsburgh, and the coaches will have to figure out the ideal mixture for success by the time the regular season comes around. Both players have shown they have starting ability, but the potential that their skills may work in tandem could mean one former starter may be forced to embrace a lesser role on the offense.
Last year with Dowdle was wild for a minute. Don’t get me wrong, I like him fine as a player, but we’re never going to see 389 rushing yards over the course of two weeks from him again.
Moved on from Rico Dowdle & Kaleb Johnson in a trade up package to rookie draft Mendoza at the 1.2 slot in my Dynasty League – Warren tandems with Rico and Kaleb has a new staff that didn’t draft him as he barely played his rookie year thanks to the trifecta of QB ARod, OC Arthur & HC Mike.
Dowdle had such a better season than Warren did it’s not even funny.
And this is coming from somebody who’s loved Warren since Oklahoma State.
Dowdle is a true feature back while Warren is a guy who is really good as part of a tandem. Dowdle followed up his first 1,000 yard season by beating out one of the top young rushers in the game and putting up 1,100+ rushing yards I think it was?
If it’s a close competition, I would always go with the guy who can provide better ball security and Dowdle has a clear edge there.
Warren is OK to solid as a 1A feature back like last season… but he’s excellent as a 1B change of pace guy like Gainwell was last season. And there’s nothing Steeler fans love more than a guy like Dowdle who can run between the tackles and exhaust a defense, especially when that guy doesn’t fumble. This combo should work very well this season.
Dowdle is definitely the primary option, but neither guy is going to handle the majority of carries on his lonesome. Even though he’s well rounded and not exactly a true power back, Dowdle is much more dangerous between the tackles than Warren. Warren showed a lot of fight last year getting hit early, and manufactured a ton of yardage through missed tackles, but I would rather see him getting cleaner opportunities to generate yardage past the line of scrimmage. That’s where he’s best. Any back is, of course, but some more than others.
Warren has great playmaking ability that got hampered behind an inconsistent and suspect offensive line last year. He did an incredibly admirable job creating forward yardage despite that in many instances, but having a great running mate in Dowdle to help with those inside carries will hopefully open up more opportunities for Warren as a playmaker instead of a pacesetter. Dowdle, for his part, can make plays himself, and catches the ball well out of the backfield. It’s would certainly not limit Dowdle to just running inside, though-and that versatility should also help open up things across the field for Warren as well.
I still would like to see who is going to be that sledgehammer inside when the Steelers need it-they’ve used Heyward in the past for that on occasion, so perhaps they use a TE or FB for those moments-but I’m intrigued to see the tandem of Dowdle and Warren this year. I’d say that Dowdle definitely has profiled as more of an RB1 than Warren has the last two years, but in a seventeen game season, you need at least two high volume backs anyway. Hopefully both can stay healthy for Pittsburgh, to minimize the amount of exposure the 43 year old Rodgers needs to be under to carry the offense at his age.
Some people think that the Dowdle signing signals the end for Kaleb Johnson… but in a strange way it could be the best thing that happens to Johnson’s career. Because you’re right, Dowdle and Warren are not going to handle all of the carries by themselves. IF Kaleb Johnson shows up and shows out, and with a new coaching staff he has every opportunity to do so, he could absolutely figure into this mix.
Here’s the thing about Johnson-he’s 6’1”, 225 lbs. He’s much bigger than Dowdle or Warren. Warren runs harder than his size, and Dowdle can run inside, but Johnson has the size/power combination that Pittsburgh misses in either of its two lead backs. If Johnson looks as good as he has in camp (reportedly), he profiles as the inside power guy that Pittsburgh can use to have a more complete rushing attack up front than they did last year.
Johnson’s only going into his second year. It’s ridiculous to say his career is over even if this year doesn’t go his way. He’ll get opportunities.
I don’t think Warren was ever considered the long term option, hence the short term extension. But he probably complicated things when he absolutely called out last year.
Was supposed to be balled out. Autocorrect 🙄