On March 11, one day after the start of the NFL's negotiation period, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported the Pittsburgh Steelers are finalizing a one-year contract with former Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell.
Gainwell, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Eagles, has been a valuable third-down back for Philadelphia. Despite never rushing for more than 400 yards in a season and earning just four career starts in as many years, the shifty running back specializes in two areas: as a pass-catches and on special teams.
In 66 career games, Gainwell recorded 102 receptions for 721 yards with the Eagles. The 2025 free-agent running back was also the primary kick returner for the Super Bowl champion Eagles—returning 18 kicks in 2024 for 456 yards (25.3 yards per return).
Now the Steelers' running back room is starting to unfold. Pittsburgh signed Jaylen Warren to a second-round tender while Najee Harris inked a one-year deal with the LA Chargers.
But the addition of Gainwell is bad news for one Steelers running back
The Pittsburgh Steelers must release Cordarrelle Patterson after signing free agent Kenneth Gainwell
With Warren and Gainwell part of the 2025 plans, the Pittsburgh Steelers have their RB2 and RB3 taken care of. It almost feels certain at this point the team will look for a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft.
So where does this leave Cordarrelle Patterson?
Despite having his moments in his first year with the Steelers in 2024, Patterson was not as advertised. Known for his Hall of Fame-level career as a kick returner, the veteran running back didn't aid the team in this regard last year.
Patterson caught 12 of 14 targets last year for 80 yards and a touchdown while managing 4.2 yards per carry on just 32 rushes. But as a kick returner, the results were mediocre at best. With the NFL's new kickoff rules, Patterson had just 11 kick returns on the season for 21.8 yards per return—his career-low number in 11 seasons.
With Gainwell expected to be a situational back who also handles kickoff duties, it's only a matter of time before Patterson, who turns 34 on March 17, gets released from the Pittsburgh Steelers. At his age, he may have already seen his final stop in his NFL journey.