1 Steelers player in danger of losing starting job after OTAs

While the Pittsburgh Steelers will try to manage through the season with Aaron Rodgers, they were boosted by a rookie standout in minicamp. And here is the Steelers’ player in danger of losing his starting job after the OTAs.

It’s not about Germie Bernard. The wide receiver has already earned his way into the WR3 spot ahead of Roman Wilson.

But the running back spot is a different situation. Jaylen Warren currently holds the starter’s gig, according to ESPN.

Steelers RB Rico Dowdle working his way into favor

It’s not about Warren becoming superfluous. He will still have his role in the passing game. But Dowdle brings a dynamic to the offense that Warren doesn’t possess. He can be that battering ram back. That puts him into the mix for heavy work on first and second down. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for Dowdle to have a few 20-carry games.

Obviously, McCarthy has a soft spot for Dowdle. He coached him with the Cowboys and knows what he can do. He said Dowdle overcame some hurdles in Dallas, according to a post on X by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Rico, I watched him as a young guy go through some injury challenges his first couple of years,” McCarthy said. “Fortunately, I’ve watched him grow up as a man and his family, but always loved the way he played the game. And [he’s] a former quarterback, so he has some skills that may surprise some, but his playstyle, his running style is the first thing.

“He’s wicked smart, protections — he’s an excellent third down back, and the first time he touched the ball he went 65 yards on kickoff. He’s a really good player, and he and Jaylen [Warren] are a great combination.”

And there’s also the idea that the Steelers want to play hard-nosed football with a punishing ground game in 2026. That’s the take of beat writer Mark Kaboly, according to The Fan Morning Show via steelersdepot.com.

“I think they want to,” Kaboly said. “I mean, I look at the personnel. With the receivers who can block, and Dowdle and Warren, even (Riley) Nowakowski and (Darnell) Washington, and (Pat) Freiermuth, and some of the bigger offensive line, they want to be that physical team on both sides of the ball. I can see them trying to be that smash-mouth team.”

New Steelers receiver Michael Pittman had the same type of opinion about what is coming, according to ESPN.

“I don’t want to give up (McCarthy’s) secret sauce, but it was very positive,” Pittman said. “That’s got to be classified; that’s between me and him. It just got me fired up. And I feel like Pittsburgh is like my style of football. Like just really that tough smash-mouth, gritty. And I think that I just fit in perfectly here.”

And Dowdle said remaining land-based is the way McCarthy wants to travel.

“[McCarthy] wants to get going through the run game and establish that, want to establish everything at the line of scrimmage,” said Dowdle. “That was one of our main things when I played with him in Dallas, protecting that quarterback and establishing everything through that line of scrimmage up front and being physical. That’s the one thing he always harped on — being the most physical team out there.”

Time will tell, but things are leaning toward Dowdle being in the starting mix. Warren will have to battle hard to keep his RB1 spot.

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