Since the NFL Draft back in April, buzz has been building about Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson. A third-round pick, Johnson was expected to step in as the team's starting running back this season.
But the Steelers have just made an obvious statement: he's not ready yet. Pittsburgh signed Jaylen Warren to a two-year contract extension worth $17.5 million that includes $12 million guaranteed, per NFL insider Mike Garafolo.
Warren has never led Pittsburgh's backfield, but he's set to do just that after this deal. For now, at least.
Pittsburgh Steelers sign Jaylen Warren to two-year extension
For years, Warren has had to play second fiddle in the Steelers' running back room. The former undrafted free agent sat behind Najee Harris for the first three seasons of his career. He was efficient, explosive, and dynamic, but never good enough to be a lead back.
The undersized back averaged 4.8 yards per carry across his first three seasons. He burst onto the scene in 2023, when he had 784 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Even after his impressive production, Pittsburgh spent its second pick in April's draft on his apparent replacement.
But this new contract is the ultimate vote of confidence in Warren. This is his backfield to lose.
Throughout the preseason, he's proven himself a more reliable back than Johnson. The rookie has clear strengths. His vision and balance are excellent, but he struggles in pass protection. Coaches can overlook a weakness like that in college, but it's enough to get a player benched in the NFL. With so much of the Steelers' hopes in 2025 riding on the health and success of a 41-year-old quarterback, they need a running back they can rely on to pick up blocks.
That happens to be one of Warren's strong suits. He's not the biggest back, but he can put himself in the right position to slow down oncoming rushers. That awareness, combined with his ability as a receiver and explosiveness as a runner, has been enough to win him the starting running back job going into the season.
Eventually, this backfield may still belong to Johnson. The top-100 draft pick will surely get a chance to prove that he can take on a full-time starting role. He'll likely see plenty of work this season on early downs and short-yardage situations.
But for the time being, this is Warren's job. Three years after going undrafted, the new contract is well-deserved.