Steelers RB Jaylen Warren Could Miss Regular Season Time
Jaylen Warren faces high expectations entering the 2024 campaign. The third-year Steelers running back may see his season debut delayed, however. 
[RELATED: OL Nate Herbig Out With Torn Rotator Cuff]
Warren exited Pittsburgh’s preseason game against the Bills with a hamstring injury. He faces a multi-week absence as a result, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The 25-year-old’s availability for Week 1 is therefore in question as the Steelers prepare for the regular season with many new faces on offense.
Pittsburgh brought in Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator this offseason, and that has led to the expectation the team will rely heavily on the run game regardless of if Russell Wilson or Justin Fields is used at quarterback. Najee Harris remains in place for at least one more season, but the Steelers declined his fifth-year option in the spring. That move leaves his future beyond 2024 uncertain, although missed time from Warren could lead to an increased workload in September.
Warren was far more efficient than Harris last season (5.3 yards per carry average vs. 4.1) and he posted 370 receiving yards. The former UDFA could be in line to take on starting duties depending on how Smith divvies up the workload in the backfield, but Harris could very well still find himself in the Steelers’ long-term plans. How the team proceeds with him next offseason will of course depend on his performance this year.
The Steelers’ receiving corps is led by George Pickens, but questions have been raised about their other options at the position as things stand. The WR outlook would change dramatically if a Brandon Aiyuk trade were to take place, although it appears the likeliest outcome in his situation would be a 49ers extension. If that were to be the conclusion to the Aiyuk saga, a strong running back tandem of Warren and Harris (with kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson in place as a depth backfield option) would be key to Pittsburgh’s success on offense. Warren missing regular season time would hurt the unit, although his absence should not linger too deep into the fall based on initial indications.
Steelers OL Nate Herbig Suffers Torn Rotator Cuff
AUGUST 18: A follow-up from Dulac notes that Herbig is dealing with a torn rotator cuff. He is now in danger of missing the 2024 campaign as a result. At a minimum, a lengthy rehab awaits him. Frazier will ascend to the top spot on the depth chart for the foreseeable future with Herbig not in the picture any time soon. Herbig has since been placed on IR, clearing the way for Frazier.
AUGUST 17: Nate Herbig spent training camp atop the Steelers’ center depth chart, but he will be unavailable for a stretch. The sixth-year blocker is dealing with a “signficant” shoulder injury, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. 
Herbig will miss regular season time, Dulac adds. As a result, the 26-year-old is no longer in contention to be tapped as the starter in the middle for Week 1. Second-round rookie Zach Frazier will instead handle those duties, as may have at some point during the 2024 campaign anyway. The West Virginia product was one of three draft investments up front made by Pittsburgh in April.
The first of those was Troy Fautanu, selected 20th overall. The Washington alum is set to handle right tackle duties right away, thus allowing 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones to move to the blindside. Frazier will have a limited period to log first-team reps in practice and the preseason before taking on starting responsibilities in the fall. For Herbig, the injury news leaves him sidelined for the start of his second season with the team.
The former Eagle and Jet signed a two-year, $8MM deal last offseason. That pact allowed him to play in every regular and postseason game during his debut Steelers season, making a pair of starts. Herbig played at left and right guard (his most familiar positions) but not at center during that time. With Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels in place at both guard spots, though, he spent this summer preparing to log a starter’s workload at the pivot.
Now, Herbig’s attention will turn to recovery as he enters a contract year. If Frazier performs well right away, he will cement his status as the Steelers’ center of the present and future. That would help the chances of Herbig departing in free agency next March (as Mason Cole did this past offseason), although he could still be counted on in a depth capacity once healthy.
49ers Have ‘Slight Edge’ On Steelers For Brandon Aiyuk
A future in which the Steelers employ George Pickens and Brandon Aiyuk for Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields — and then potentially a near-future heir apparent — to target remains in play, but as of Saturday morning, it is not the expected scenario.
The Steelers remain on standby here as a fallback option, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who notes this situation has shifted from being a coin flip between Pittsburgh and San Francisco back to a place in which the 49ers have a slight edge to end up extending the wide receiver. Since a Tuesday report confirmed the teams have trade parameters in place, this storyline has trended in this direction.
Indeed, Fowler adds execs around the league expect this drawn-out process to conclude with the 49ers extending Aiyuk. Since the trade framework came out — though, it is not known what the Steelers are prepared to trade — 49ers efforts to wrap this extension saga have headlined the latest chapters in an endless news cycle. Aiyuk has been at 49ers meetings and been seen talking to teammates at practice during his hold-in. John Lynch said Friday the aim remains for the 49ers to extend the second-team All-Pro.
The 49ers let Aiyuk’s camp talk terms with other teams, which led to Patriots and Browns proposals. Both AFC teams and the Commanders, who were also interested at one point (as they now roster former Aiyuk college QB Jayden Daniels), are not believed to be in the picture any longer. A 49ers-or-Steelers option has loomed regarding Aiyuk’s long-term future for a bit now, but San Francisco still needs to check some key boxes to finalize a long-sought-after deal.
Aiyuk has not yet been compelled to sign, as Fowler points out certain contractual demands remain unfulfilled. Guarantees and/or when those guarantees vest may well be part of this delay; Aiyuk targeted A.J. Brown‘s $84MM guarantee number weeks ago, and the Bears giving D.J. Moore $82.6MM in total guarantees gives the Bay Area resident more ammo here.
That said, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds the 49ers and Aiyuk have agreed on the contract’s central parts, indicating there is an issue with the final year of the team’s proposal. It is unknown how long of a deal the 49ers proposed, but the subject of phony final years — which are present in Davante Adams‘ Raiders deal and were in Tyreek Hill‘s first Dolphins contract — may be part of these negotiations. The 49ers used a lofty final-year salary to prop up Trent Williams‘ AAV — on a six-year contract — back in 2021. But Aiyuk and the team having agreed on the deal’s key points suggests a resolution is in sight. The 49ers made their most recent offer around a week ago, per Garafolo.
The fifth-year receiver has been connected to wanting an AAV in the $30MM range, while the 49ers were tied to a $26-$27MM-per-year offer earlier this summer. The 49ers have upped their offer, and Fowler does float the $30MM number — or a figure slightly less — as the likely endgame here. The Steelers were believed to have offered Aiyuk around $28MM per year.
Continued 49ers interest in avoiding a trade puts the Steelers in strange territory. As their Aiyuk trade effort suddenly looks shaky, the Steelers may need to come up with a backup plan to complement Pickens. As it stands, Van Jefferson — he of one 400-plus-yard season in four tries — is ticketed as the team’s top in-house WR2 option, The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo notes (subscription required). It has trended this way since Pittsburgh’s offseason program. Third-rounder Roman Wilson looms, but he has missed time during camp due to injury.
It will be interesting to see if the Steelers become connected to another receiver as a safety option — in the now-likelier event the 49ers finally extend Aiyuk.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/24
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed off waivers (from Commanders): G Mason Brooks
- Waived-injured: G Nash Jensen
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived from IR (with injury settlement): CB Gregory Junior
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: S Jalyn Phillips
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Joshua Kelley, S Jonathan Sutherland
- Placed on IR: S Elijah Riley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on IR: DB Grayland Arnold
- Released from IR (with injury settlement): NT Breiden Fehoko
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived from IR (with injury settlement): DE Austin Bryant, WR Terique Owens
Washington Commanders
- Signed: QB Trace McSorley
Joshua Kelley will land in New York after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Chargers. The running back is coming off a 2023 campaign where he started a career-high three games while compiling 437 yards from scrimmage. In a post Saquon Barkley-era, Kelley will be joining an uncertain depth chart that features the likes of Devin Singletary, Eric Gray, and rookie fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr..
Grayland Arnold won’t have an opportunity to contribute to the Steelers in 2023 after landing on IR. The defensive back was battling it out for Pittsburgh’s starting slot corner spot, with ESPN’s Brooke Pryor noting that Arnold’s injury means UDFA Beanie Bishop likely won the job. Arnold spent the past three seasons with the Texans, collecting 22 tackles in 20 games.
Trace McSorley‘s career journey brings him to Washington, per Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan in Washington. As Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes, the veteran should soak up some snaps on Saturday with both Marcus Mariota (groin) and Sam Hartman (shoulder) sidelined. McSorley was a 2019 sixth-round pick by the Ravens, and he’s now had stints with six different squads throughout his career.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/24
Wednesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Storey Jackson
- Waived: P Ryan Sanborn
Buffalo Bills
- Reverted to IR: WR Bryan Thompson
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: S Clayton Isbell
- Released (with injury settlement): OLB Kemoko Turay
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/retired list: DE Jeff Gunter
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: C Cohl Cabral
- Waived (with injury designation): DE Shaka Toney
Denver Broncos
- Waived (with injury settlement): OLB Jaylon Allen
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Javelin Guidry
- Reverted to IR: LB DaRon Gilbert
- Waived (with injury designation): S Morice Norris Jr.
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Nate McCrary
- Waived: LS Peter Bowden, S Tyler Coyle
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Derek Rivers, WR Greg Ward
- Waived: S Kendell Brooks, WR Ethan Fernea
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from active/PUP list: G Jackson Powers-Johnson
- Released (with injury settlement): WR Keelan Doss
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Tucker Fisk
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Carlos Watkins
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Robert Cooper
Minnesota Vikings
- Reverted to IR: LB Jabril Cox
New England Patriots
- Waived (with injury settlement): DE John Morgan
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE Mason Fairchild
- Waived: DT Kyler Baugh
New York Giants
- Signed: S Raheem Layne, S Jonathan Sutherland
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Zyon Gilbert, WR T.J. Luther
- Reverted to IR: WR Tarik Black
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Nick Williams
- Released: LB Zeke Turner
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Easton Gibbs
- Waived (with injury designation): DT Nathan Pickering
Washington Commanders
- Waived (with injury settlement): T Alex Akingbulu
- Waived: G Mason Brooks
Cabral joins the Cowboys after UFL stints in Birmingham and Michigan. He adds more depth to the team’s offensive line after the team lost Chuma Edoga in their first preseason game and saw Earl Bostick helped off the field today. Toney suffered a groin injury, leading to this injury waiver, but could return to the team should he clear waivers.
Powers-Johnson was on some concerning ground with how much time he had missed with a concussion, but the Raiders saw him return to practice today.
The 49ers are adding some significant depth on the defensive line in Williams, who has vast starting experience in the NFL. Cutting Turner could mean that the return of Dre Greenlaw may on a better timeline than expected.
Latest On 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk
Around 24 hours since a report indicating the 49ers and Steelers had agreed on Brandon Aiyuk trade compensation emerged, the fifth-year wide receiver remains with San Francisco. Aiyuk continues his hold-in.
The Steelers continue to wait on this situation, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicating the AFC North team remains motivated to acquire the dissatisfied wide receiver. But trade talks may have slowed down. Although the teams are believed to have trade parameters in place, Fowler adds talks were quiet in recent days. This note comes days after a report that mentioned 49ers extension talks had intensified following another Aiyuk meeting with team brass.
On this note, Aiyuk watched 49ers practice with teammates Wednesday and greeted GM John Lynch at one point, per the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman. This has been the receiver’s usual routine, but it is notable the club continues to have a high-profile player who could be on the verge of becoming the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade still on the sidelines at practice.
Aiyuk has also continued to attend 49ers meetings during this saga, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. This separates the Aiyuk matter from Trent Williams‘ holdout and how the team proceeded with trade-block occupant Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022. Garoppolo threw on the side and did not attend meetings before agreeing to a late-summer resolution to stay in San Francisco.
“I trust Brandon knows what he’s got to do for this year to get ready to play,” Kyle Shanahan said, via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch. “I have a feeling he’s finding a way to stay in shape and do those things. But there’s a football-shape element that I know he is eager to get back to — and us, too. So, hopefully, we can get to that soon. But Brandon knows what he’s got to do to be in shape for the season, and I feel confident he is doing that.”
The 49ers are believed to have upped their offer recently, and Tuesday’s update revealed San Francisco remains his preferred destination. After a report pegged both Aiyuk and the 49ers as underwhelmed by the Steelers’ offers — on the extension and trade fronts — the teams are at least in agreement. The ball is largely in Aiyuk’s court, though the 49ers do not necessarily have to move him. They are still clearly interested in seeing if common ground on numbers can be reached.
It would, then, seem odd if a team that narrowly missed out on a Super Bowl championship would go this far down a trade route — particularly at this point on the calendar, when a replacement will be difficult to obtain — but here we are. The Steelers appear to still believe, unlike the Browns and Patriots after offers did not produce deals, they can acquire the 26-year-old pass catcher — even if such a move would significantly affect the 2024 49ers’ title hopes.
Pittsburgh is believed to have submitted a trade offer including no players. Considering where they reside in the championship picture, the 49ers understandably sought veterans — a wideout, in particular — as part of an Aiyuk trade package. The Steelers, who do not have a comparable wideout they are willing to trade, are believed to have offered a deal in the $28MM-per-year neighborhood. If the 49ers have raised their offer, they may be in the same place. A $26-$27MM-AAV San Francisco price range surfaced earlier this summer.
This situation is not exactly oozing trade vibes at present. Still, the Steelers — who have certainly not been known to be on the receiving end of high-profile wideout trades — remain prepared to accommodate a big-ticket Aiyuk payment and pair him with George Pickens. This would seem incongruous to the 49ers’ immediate needs, but a trade remains a possibility. The wait continues.
Steelers Have Brandon Aiyuk Trade Agreement Worked Out; 49ers Extension Offer Also In Play
10:00pm: While an Aiyuk-to-Pittsburgh remains in play, it sounds like a trade hasn’t been completed because the 49ers believe they can convince the wideout to stick in San Francisco. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the 49ers and Aiyuk’s camp aren’t “that far apart on a deal.” The reporter notes that the 49ers have improved their offer in recent days, and it “has always” been the player’s preference to stick with San Francisco.
12:50pm: Brandon Aiyuk may still find his way to Pittsburgh, but the possibility of a long-term San Francisco deal also exists. A trade agreement has been worked out between the teams, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Rapoport adds that the Steelers are “in a good place” with respect to an extension for the All-Pro wideout. The 49ers also have a standing offer to Aiyuk which would allow him to stay in the Bay Area for 2024 and beyond, however. That offer has not yet been accepted.
As the waiting game continues, Aiyuk will have the option of choosing to take a multi-year 49ers deal or, failing that, the 49ers will be in position to authorize the trade. Terms on an extension will be critical, of course. The Steelers have not yet been willing to reach $30MM per season on a deal; that has also been the case for San Francisco. Whereas trade terms had not yet been sufficient from the 49ers’ perspective, though, today’s update points to a Steelers acquisition once again being a distinct possibility.
Rapoport’s report does not specify what Pittsburgh has offered, but the package set to head to the Bay Area will no doubt be noteworthy. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette repeats his previous reporting, though, that no Steelers players are involved. Both the Patriots and Browns had deals worked out, and those agreements would have sent Aiyuk to a new team. The 26-year-old nixed a reported deal which would have yielded Amari Cooper and a pair of draft picks for the Niners, given his preference not to play in Cleveland or New England. Pittsburgh has long been known to be a destination Aiyuk is interested in.
As the Athletic’s Dianna Russini confirms, the Steelers have been waiting on the trade front for days. Pittsburgh does not have a veteran receiver to offer in a trade (at least, not one of Cooper’s caliber). George Pickens is the centerpiece of the team’s passing attack as it currently stands, with Diontae Johnson having been traded away this spring. That move – coupled with the release of Allen Robinson – has led to speculation the Steelers could add a receiver, and an Aiyuk acquisition would certainly mark a major move for their offense.
Late last month, general manager Omar Khan said no deals at the receiver position were being explored. Interest in Aiyuk has erupted since then, with the former first-rounder’s trade request not sparking progress on a 49ers extension agreement. Aiyuk has long been tied to an asking price around $30MM per year, a mark four receivers are currently attached to. It will be interesting to see if San Francisco’s most recent offer reaches that point, or if the Steelers are prepared to up their latest one to get a trade over the finish line.
As the Jets’ situation with Haason Reddick proves, working out a trade without a firm extension in place can be highly problematic for the acquiring team. One year remains on Aiyuk’s rookie deal, and he is due $14.12MM in 2024 on the fifth-year option. A long-term deal will no doubt be worth roughly double that figure, perhaps more. Which team he plays on during his next pact remains to be seen, however.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Daylen Baldwin, RB Hassan Hall
- Released (with injury settlement): WR Jeff Smith
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on PUP: RB Robert Burns
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB John Kelly
- Waived (with injury settlement): LB Quincy Roche
Buffalo Bills
- Waived-injured: WR Bryan Thompson
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR (with injury settlements): OT J.D. DiRenzo, TE Curtis Hodges
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: LB Alec Mock
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Essang Bassey
- Waived-injured: LB DaRon Gilbert
- Reverted to IR: WR Antoine Green
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Chris Russell
- Released from IR (with injury settlement): CB Don Callis
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Savion Jackson, LB Shaq Quarterman
- Waived: TE Ben Mason, CB Chris Wilcox
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Jordan Kunaszyk
- Waived-injured: LB Jabril Cox
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Kaleb Ford-Dement
- Waived: RB Zander Horvath
- Released from IR (with injury settlement): WR Jermaine Jackson
New York Jets
- Released from IR (with injury settlement): WR Hamze El-Zayat
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived-injured: WR Tarik Black
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR (with injury settlement): NT Matthew Gotel
Steelers Expected To Start Troy Fautanu At Right Tackle
The Steelers have used back-to-back first-round picks on tackles, aiming at a long-term foundation. The team, however, is believed to have rated Troy Fautanu as a higher-end prospect compared to Broderick Jones. That assessment looks to have been reflected during training camp.
Fautanu is currently battling an MCL sprain, but he is expected back for the Steelers’ regular-season opener. When Fautanu returns, it appears he will do so as a starter. The No. 20 overall pick has already done enough to be considered the team’s first-string right tackle, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.
This quick anointment represents an important development for the Steelers, who moved on from multiyear RT Chukwuma Okorafor this offseason. The team had benched Okorafor to install Jones at RT midway through last season. Jones kicked over to left tackle this offseason but is back on the right side, per Dulac, while Fautanu is on the mend.
Although the Steelers are transitioning away from Dan Moore Jr. as a starter, Dulac adds the 2025 free agent-to-be will eventually compete for the LT job with Jones. The latter held that position for the past three years, but his inconsistent play helped lead to the Steelers prioritizing tackles over the past two drafts.
Moore held off Jones for the LT job last year, but Pro Football Focus graded him outside the top 60 among tackles. The advanced metrics site has never viewed the former fourth-round pick as a top-50 tackle, and Dulac indeed indicates Jones probably has the edge. Moore as a swingman would stand to hurt his 2025 FA market, but young tackles with extensive starting experience are not regularly available. The 49-game starter also would stand to be an important depth piece — assuming Jones and Fautanu are indeed Pittsburgh’s first-string tackles — this season.
Fautanu came into camp in a backup role, though it has not taken much time for the Steelers to decide the Washington product is ready. Fautanu did allow two sacks in his preseason debut, which the MCL injury shortened, but the team has evidently seen enough during practice to make this early call. Now, the Steelers will wait until the point it can place its preferred tackles back on the field together.
Steelers’ Brandon Aiyuk Offer Short Of $30MM Per Year
After an eventful week, the 49ers‘ top outside receiver/rumor machine remains on the NFC champions’ roster. Brandon Aiyuk‘s hold-in continues, and connections to teams have slowed a bit.
Details on the Patriots and Browns’ offers have emerged, and SI.com’s Albert Breer now sheds some light on where the Steelers have gone for the fifth-year wideout. Pittsburgh has offered a deal around $28MM per year. Aiyuk was believed to be less than satisfied with Pittsburgh’s proposal, and San Francisco has also expressed hesitancy regarding a Steelers trade package.
An early report had the Patriots’ offer beyond $28.5MM, but a subsequent assessment of New England’s proposal placed it in the $32MM-AAV area. Aiyuk hesitancy about joining the Patriots is interesting, given the offer. It is also unclear what the Pats were proposing the 49ers in trades, though Breer notes the 49ers asked for Kendrick Bourne. That is rather interesting since Bourne began his career in San Francisco, though he is obviously not on Aiyuk’s level and is coming off an ACL tear.
The Browns are believed to have offered Amari Cooper, along with second- and fifth-round picks. One of last week’s many Aiyuk storylines indicated he nixed a deal to Cleveland. Still, this would be a fascinating swap, seeing as Cleveland traded for another 2020 first-round wideout (Jerry Jeudy) months ago and gave him an extension. Cooper remains on his Cowboys-constructed contract, albeit with some incentives for 2024, and would satisfy a 49ers desire to acquire immediate receiving help if they are to actually trade Aiyuk.
Letting Aiyuk’s camp speak with teams doubled as a 49ers fact-finding mission, and while the Steelers may still be in this, Breer predicts this saga ends with a San Francisco deal finally coming to fruition. As of midsummer, the 49ers were believed to be in the $26-$27MM-per-year range. The Steelers’ approximate $28MM-per-year proposal would place Aiyuk around the point Jaylen Waddle settled at this offseason. Aiyuk has long been tied to wanting an AAV around the $30MM Amon-Ra St. Brown number, but the lack of interest in New England also effectively confirms he wants to join a team with fewer questions on offense.
The Dolphins gave Waddle a $28.25MM-AAV accord complete with $76MM guaranteed. The Steelers have not been big on multiyear guarantees for non-quarterbacks (or T.J. Watt), with signing bonuses doing much of the post-Year 1 work in most of the old-school franchise’s contracts. It would not surprise if that component is producing Aiyuk’s hesitancy regarding a Steelers offer. Of course, the 49ers would need to sign off on a deal to move him. And the Steelers, barring a counterproductive George Pickens inclusion, do not have a receiver to send over.
As of late last week, the Steelers were content to let the chips fall. Breer adds they do not want to include a player in their offer. An increased offer does not sound likely, though nothing can be completely ruled out right now. Following a work week of trade talks, the 49ers ramped up their extension effort — after another meeting with the player.
Months into this process, we continue to wait. The 49ers completed extensions with George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa after training camp started. The sides now have more information as to what Aiyuk’s market is. That should provide a pathway to a deal or a trade — at long last.