The Pittsburgh Steelers running back room is loaded with three potential starters after the offseason news that Rico Dowdle would be joining predecessors Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson.
Sure, Johnson has yet to prove himself at the NFL level, but he was a 2025 third-round pick with a ton of talent and expectations around this time last year. Then there’s Warren, the often underrated and overlooked 2025 starter who is coming off a 950-yard campaign as a runner.
So why spend part of the free-agent budget on Dowdle, given these options? Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy’s comments from earlier this week at OTAs say it all.
“Rico’s a great fit for how we’re going to play here in Pittsburgh, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of his [NFL] journey,” McCarthy told reporters on May 28. I watched him grow up as a young player in Dallas. He went through a lot of adversity there early in his career, with the injuries the first two years, and really probably had to wait a little longer than I know he would have liked for his opportunity.”
“I’ve been just so impressed with him,” the new Steelers HC continued. “Just how diligent of a football player he is. I mean, he’s really smart. You can see his background as a quarterback in his high school days. So, he has a really high understanding of how the game is played, but he’s [also] tough as nails.”
McCarthy concluded that he “loves” Dowdle’s running style, and that the veteran will be a “great fit” alongside Warren.
Rico Dowdle Could Take Over as Pittsburgh Steelers’ RB1 With Built-In Mike McCarthy Connection
Will Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren drop back into a passing-down role after the Rico Dowdle signing?
Make no mistake, Dowdle has the early advantage in the running back competition.
Not only do McCarthy’s words hold weight, but Dowdle also has a built-in advantage: his knowledge and experience within McCarthy’s system.
It’s no secret that Dowdle played for McCarthy as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. It’s also no coincidence that the new-look Steelers prioritized bringing Dowdle in.
Those things all matter. And, as of now, this looks like Dowdle’s RB job to lose.
How Do Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren & Kaleb Johnson Fit in After Rico Dowdle News?
The Dowdle signing news flipped this RB room upside down, to some extent. Warren should still have a major role, and he might end up splitting snaps with Dowdle early on.
If you look at both players and what they excel at, Dowdle is a two-time 1,000-yard ball-carrier on the ground and would be a logical early-down RB for McCarthy. That plan would pair well with Warren, who can play on early downs as well, but was always better as a change-of-pace back who is strong in pass protection.
Both Dowdle and Warren can catch the football, but Warren certainly has the higher ceiling out of the backfield, too, with three seasons of over 300 receiving yards.
So, based on all that, utilizing Dowdle as the lead-runner and Warren as the primary passing-down back would make sense out of the gates.
Where does that leave second-year draft pick Kaleb Johnson? The new Steelers coaching staff has been vocal that the youngster will get a clean slate in year two, but he’s unlikely to get a lot of playing time if both Dowdle and Warren are healthy.
For now, he’ll have to continue to show McCarthy that he’s working hard to pick up the offensive HC’s playbook and system. That’s step number one.
If he masters that portion of the game, the rest should come in time.
Steelers’ Mike McCarthy Has Eyebrow-Raising Words for Rico Dowdle Amid RB Battle