The announced free agent signings are during the slower period of the day, but that does not mean the news has stopped. Looking at some of the more active teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been adding players all day. The latest of their moves, signing Rico Dowdle, is a big addition to the offense and could change some things in the Steelers’ backfield.
What Rico Dowdle’s Signing Means for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Backfield
Today, the Steelers have signed CB Jamel Dean, re-signed CB Asante Samuel Jr. and LB Cole Holcomb, and signed Dowdle, while also trading for WR Michael Pittman Jr.
These are big moves for a team trying to stay competitive and take that next step in 2026. With a new regime led by Mike McCarthy, there might not be many big roster changes. Still, the addition of Dowdle is interesting.
Going into free agency, the Steelers were set to lose Kenneth Gainwell, who ended up signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. This was a big loss because Gainwell was the team MVP in 2025 and a vital piece of the passing game, but it was expected in Pittsburgh. The Steelers were always going to look for a new backup RB, and it turns out, they actually upgraded.
Last season, Dowdle was the 12th-best RB in the NFL, while Gainwell was 21st, according to PFSN’s RB Impact Metric. What makes this signing even better is that the Steelers’ starting RB, Jaylen Warren, was only one spot higher than Dowdle, finishing the season at 11th.
The Steelers did not just get a new backup RB; they got someone on par with their RB1. In addition, Dowdle has rushed for 1,000 yards in the past two seasons, while Warren has never done that.
Looking at the new Steelers RB room, Pittsburgh has Warren, Dowdle, Kaleb Johnson, and Lew Nichols. Once Gainwell left in free agency, there was a chance Johnson, who was a third-round pick just last year, could have stepped up as RB2. It would have made sense due to the level of draft investment, but with this being a new regime, they may not be high on the young player.
Also, I mentioned it before, but the gap between Dowdle and Warren is not too big. Due to this, there may be a more even split between the two rushers in 2026. This could make the Steelers a bit more dynamic and keep the opposing defenses always focused on stopping their rushing attack.
