; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at AT&T Stadium.
; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at AT&T Stadium.
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have a “job opening” at running back this offseason, with both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren hitting the free agent market. Unless the plan is to keep Cordarrelle Patterson and make him their starter, the team will need to look for their next group of runners, and have an option who carries superstar potential.
In a list of six free agents who can turn into superstars, Bleacher Report lists one name the Steelers will already be negotiating with – Justin Fields. But they may also have an opportunity to pair the quarterback with a running back who has the same upside.
That’s former Dallas Cowboys runner Rico Dowdle.
“Rico Dowdle could’ve been a breakout star running back this past season, but the Dallas Cowboys split his workload with Ezekiel Elliott for more than half of the campaign,” Bleacher Report writes.
“Before Week 12, Dowdle logged 20-plus carries in one game. In four of the last six weeks, he recorded 20-plus rush attempts and racked up 104 or more rushing yards in three of those outings. …
“Because of his versatile skill set, Dowdle could be one of the league’s top running backs in a featured role despite having only 331 NFL carries on his resume.”
Dowdle, 26, went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft and has been with the Cowboys ever since. Without ever getting an opportunity to be a feature back, he hits free agency and a market that’s top two options may be Aaron Jones and Najee Harris. And while he likely won’t be RB1 in Pittsburgh, he may be intrigued by the job opening and the potential of the role.
The Steelers’ top option this offseason is likely Jaylen Warren. As a restricted free agent, they can tender Warren, minimizing his cost as they look to build around him. The NFL Draft will be another place they’ll look, but adding a second veteran is definitely on the table.
If they’re looking to clean house all together, moving on from Harris and Warren, Dowdle becomes a top name to watch. Pittsburgh won’t head into the draft without signing a running back. And if they are thinking young with potential, Dowdle probably sits at the top of their list.
Options are key for any team looking to fill a position group. For the Steelers, there’s not many flashy names on the open market, but a few with potential. And Dowdle may have the most.
