The Steelers watched RB Kenneth Gainwell agree to a deal with Tampa Bay on Monday and will apparently fill his spot with Rico Dowdle. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the former Panther has reached agreement with Pittsburgh, though details are not yet available. Joining the Steelers will meet Dowdle back up with HC Mike McCarthy, who piloted the Cowboys for the entirety of Dowdle's time there.
That Dallas connection might seem like a positive (and perhaps it is) because of his final Cowboys season:
But that followed four years of Dowdle doing almost nothing (113 total touches, nearly all in 2023). The Cowboys let him walk after that season, and he landed in Carolina on a small one-year deal.
And now the Panthers have let him walk after he posted numbers near-identical to 2024.
Immediate "analysis" from some Steelers beat writers has speculated that Dowdle has a good shot to overtake Jaylen Warren for the backfield touch lead -- especially rushing.
That could happen. But even Dowdle's two most successful pro seasons found him opening the year behind Ezekiel Elliott (in Dallas) and then Chuba Hubbard.
We'll see about the contract details here, but I'd bet on Dowdle being a piece rather than a backfield leader.
It's too soon to label Warren or 2025 third-rounder Kaleb Johnson as winners or losers here.
If Pittsburgh signed Dowdle intending to have him lead the backfield, that would obviously be bad news for both guys. But this would also be the first NFL team to enter a season with such plans for Dowdle.
Ultimately, it's not time yet to significantly alter your thinking for any Pittsburgh RB. Depending on how the market reacts, there's a chance that Warren and Johnson become value options.
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