The Pittsburgh Steelers have featured a dominant running game throughout the franchise’s history. Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris helped lead the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships in the 1970s, Hall of Fame running back Jerome “The Bus” Bettis bullied defenses and retired as a Super Bowl champion after the 2005 season, and running back Le’Veon Bell tallied over 1,800 yards from scrimmage in three of his five seasons with the team.
Yet, Pittsburgh’s rushing attack has struggled to find its footing since the team’s messy split with Bell after the 2018 season. Najee Harris, a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, was expected to be the next great Steelers running back, but he never managed to establish himself during his four years in Pittsburgh.
Harris’ rookie contract expired this offseason, leaving the Steelers with a glaring need at the running back position.
Steelers may be considering drafting a running back in the first round
After Harris’ departure, Tomlin and Co. may be considering taking another swing at a first-round running back, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Rashard Mendenhall, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, was the only other running back drafted in the first round by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, but Dulac reported that he was “told not to rule out” the possibility of the Steelers selecting a running back with their top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Steelers tendered running back Jaylen Warren at the second-round level and added former Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell in free agency, but neither player is considered to be capable of working in a lead role.
Although much of the focus this offseason has been on Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation, the upcoming draft class is believed to be lack high-end passers. The Steelers currently hold the No. 21 overall pick, which puts them out of range for either Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who are considered to be the only two first-round quarterback prospects. On the other hand, the running back class is quite deep.
Five of the 14 players that the Steelers brought in for pre-draft visits have been running backs, per the Steelers Depot. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was not brought in, but the Steelers have visited with several running backs who are expected to go in the middle rounds of the draft.
Ultimately, a mid-round running back may be the wiser move. The Steelers don’t have the offensive line to support a strong running game, especially without an established passing attack. Using a first-round pick on a running back wouldn’t move the needle much — even Saquon Barkley struggled when he played behind a struggling offensive line with the New York Giants.