Team news: Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin on Jaylen Warren:

"His progress has been very evident and he's to be congratulated ... Certainly he'll be our featured runner. Certainly you'll see [Kaleb Johnson/Kenneth Gainwell], but at what time and at what degree [will depend week-to-week]."

Warren just signed an extension with the Steelers for two years and now looks to be the Steelers RB1. Warren isn't the biggest back so there will be questions about his size and handling a full workload, but it's good news for his owners who snagged him later in drafts. Johnson should be able to earn some early down work at some point, but it sounds like that will vary. It's just another RB situation that will need to work itself out before fantasy owners feel comfortable.

A two-year extension for Steelers RB Jaylen Warren, per his agents.

Related players: Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell

The agents pointed out Warren went from Snow Community College to Utah State to Oklahoma State before signing with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent. The Steelers RB situation looks to be a complicated one as the team also drafted Johnson. Some reports suggest Johnson hasn't been as great as expected so far through camp and practices, but he is still expected to get some of the workload. Gainwell comes over from the Eagles and can pretty much do it all. He was often on the field in two-minute situations and passing downs.

The Steelers will place rookie QB Will Howard, their sixth-round pick, on injured reserve at some point, though not necessarily immediately, per sources

Dynasty managers can take note here. Howard will land on IR sometime before the season starts. He didn't get any time in the preseason thanks to his injury so the Steelers will stash him away and he'll miss the first four games of the season.

The coaches are very high on [Calvin Austin III]. Tomlin calls his trajectory "really exciting," and people I've talked to with the team noted that he gets open often. Austin just doesn't have the numbers (36 catches, 548 yards, 4 touchdowns) to reflect that ability. The offense will heavily feature DK Metcalf and the tight ends, but Austin will have chances with splash plays.

Related players: DK Metcalf, Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, Jonnu Smith

Austin is being asked to get open on vertical passing plays the story said as the offense is built around taking advantage of matchups. The Steelers WR2 may end up slotting in as the third option at best in this offense, however, with the addition of Smith at TE.

Breaking news, Pittsburgh Steelers release old washed up Cordarrelle Patterson on his day off!!!

Related Players: Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell

Yes, this was tweeted out by C-Patt himself, and it is glorious. If we don't see Patterson suit up for another team this season, it has been a truly impressive run by one of the best hybrid players we've ever seen. This clears up a little more room for Warren and Johnson, who will look to battle it out as high-end RB3s this year.

The Jets ran the ball less than any team last season. The biggest reason for that (Aaron Rodgers) is gone. It would not shock me if the Jets went from last to first in terms of rushing attempts — the product of a run-first scheme led by offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, and the dynamic, dual-threat quarterbacking of Justin Fields in the fray. The Jets are modeling their offense after the one Engstrand and Aaron Glenn came from in Detroit, where, in theory at least, Breece Hall would play the Jahmyr Gibbs role while Braelon Allen would step in as the David Montgomery, power-running type. — Zack Rosenblatt

Those are pretty big expectations, but the thought of it is exciting. Rosenblatt went on to say Allen was a training camp breakout last year who never got a chance to get going in a bad offense, but he’ll have plenty of opportunities in 2025 to make his mark and prove he can be the long-term starter with Hall in the last year of his contract.

Steelers-Dolphins trade, Part II: Dolphins are trading tight end Jonnu Smith to the Steelers for a late-round pick swap, per ESPN sources.

Smith will get a one-year contract extension for $12 million.

Related Players: Pat Freiermuth, Pharoah Brown, Julian Hill

What's good for the Steelers offense isn't necessarily a good thing for fantasy. Freiermuth is coming off a career-high 65 receptions, but even with a lack of a bona fide WR2 in Pittsburgh, it's doubtful he hits that number with Smith in town. This obviously means Smith will have to fight for targets as well, and puts both of their TE1 outcomes in question. Jonnu, at least, has familiarity with Arthur Smith, so we can envision usable weeks, just not nearly as many as he would have had in Miami.

The TE options leftover in Miami can be safely avoided, unless they make a move for another guy. Malik Washington becomes slightly more palatable as a (very) late-round dart throw.

Renegade A-Rod: Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers informed the #Steelers he’ll fly to Pittsburgh on Friday and sign before next week’s minicamp, sources tell The Insiders.

Finally, a done deal: Rodgers, 41, will play his 21st NFL season in black and gold.

Related Players: Mason Rudolph

Pelissero followed up with,

"Contract parameters have been in place for months; Rodgers has said publicly he told teams that he’ll play for $20 million, and the sides need to finalize the contract. Once he signs, he’s expected to be on the field when minicamp begins Tuesday."

This gives the Steelers pass-catchers a solid QB option, but the DK Metcalf/Rodgers pairing is incredibly interesting. We'll keep you updated on what former Packers players end up signing in Pittsburgh this summer.

Details of the Steelers-Cowboys trade expected to be completed today.

Steelers receive 2026 3rd-round pick and a 2027 5th-round pick.

Cowboys receive WR George Pickens and a 2027 6th-round pick.

Related Players: DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, Pat Freiermuth, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy

With the relative lack of impactful Draft compensation, it's a wonder this didn't get done prior to or during the 2025 NFL Draft, but Pickens is on the move regardless.

For the Steelers, this makes Roman Wilson a little more intriguing as he heads into Year 2, and Freiermuth should see a little bump closer to high-end TE2 consideration.

For the Cowboys, this slightly lowers CeeDee Lamb's potentially astronomical target share, but gives QB Dak Prescott a much more reliable No. 2 option in what was already projected as a pass-heavy offense with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders making up their backfield. Pickens is now more of a high-end WR3 than a fringe WR4.

The Steelers are signing veteran WR Robert Woods to a 1-year, $2M deal. A new target and big-time locker room presence for… whoever their QB ends up being. The former Texans WR lands in a great spot.

Related Players: DK Metcalf, George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson

Should Woods stick on the team until the regular season, he'll have more of an impact keeping sophomore Roman Wilson on the field than he would for the top of the depth chart. We'll have to wait and see how things shake out with Pickens' status as a Steeler throughout the summer.