Jaylen Warren is the Steelers Best RB

 Never waste a first round pick on a running back. A mantra that has been repeated by pundits for years and pretty much always rings true. A running back's shelf life is typically very short with primes lasting sometimes only 5 years. It is also a very replaceable position, new star RBs are born every season and a lot of the time it is a function of the offensive scheme or blocking. So in 2021 when the Steelers selected Najee Harris with their first round pick, you could say I was cautiously pessimistic. 

Look, Najee doesn't suck. He has had to deal with some pretty putrid offenses run by Pittsburgh public enemy number 1 Matt Canada. He's had shaky offensive lines and a non-existent passing game to help boost his running profile. All that being said, he hasn't been the elite talent promised with a first round pick. He's had over 1,000 rushing yards in all 3 of his seasons and some flashy show stopping moments but never really seemed like even a top 10 back in the league. His power is clear and he can barrel through guys but it is clear he lacks the high level speed of an elite back.

The year after Najee was drafted, the Steelers signed undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren to the team. Warren slowly earned more snaps as the seasons went on, finishing last season splitting the backfield with Najee. I have been nothing but impressed with Warren's play. Just going off eye test, it feels like whenever Warren gets the ball he does something good for the team. He has almost, if not all of, the power that Najee has, a bit more speed and that unquantifiable DAWG quality to him. 

I don't have many chops in terms of football analysis I pretty much just go off of feel. When it comes to Jaylen Warren, I feel like the Steelers perform better when he's in the game. I get the notion that we spent a first on Najee so we may as well use him, but I think limiting Warren's snaps is a mistake. I believe that looking to trade Najee while his value is still high would be beneficial to the team, perhaps shoring up a position like wide receiver. At the very worst, Warren will provide all the production of Najee. 

Short one today! Thought I'd give you readers a break after that marathon of a Kyle Lowry post.