LATROBE, Pa. -- The backup running back duties can come from a majority shareholder or a partnership of a "2" and "2a," depending on how an offense utilizes that position.
As the Steelers get into their final week of training camp practices at Saint Vincent College, Anthony McFarland's stock has noticeable risen while Jaylen Warren's stock has remained a constant. McFarland has shown the capability to decipher and hammer down a hole in a quicker manner, while displaying speed to the boundaries and providing another wrinkle as a speedy pass catcher.
Warren, though, entered this training camp in fantastic shape with some added bulk, and has looked like an improved version of the breakout undrafted rookie who stormed onto the radar in last year's training camp. He is running with more power, he has shown improvement in his ability to change direction, and his work as a pass catcher has remained relatively leveled in these practices.
Make no bones about this. The Steelers do not have a RB2 problem. Rather, they have two solutions at a position that cannot boast enough depth, especially in an offense that leans on Najee Harris as often as it does and has the same intent to be a physical team into the 2023 season.
The Steelers want Kenny Pickett to come out of his shell this season, and the expectation that Pickett will make a jump in Year 2 continues to grow by the day as a result of his noticeable improvements in decision making, pocket poise, and ball placement in training camp.
But, for as valuable as his receiving corps will be for that growth, so will a well-rounded running game.
McFarland's emergence is giving the Steelers a new layer to a running game that showed flashes in the back-half of last season.
“Just seeing how versatile he is, and watching him run routes and being able to do everything that a back should be able to do, that motivates me to step up my game," Warren said after Tuesday's walkthrough in Latrobe. "... We can throw people off. We have different skillsets. I’m more of a heavier back, he’s more of a quick, fast back.”
McFarland showcased that quickness in his 14-yard touchdown run in Friday's win over the Buccaneers in the Steelers' preseason opener. On that play, he took the handoff, showed a moment of patience, and waited for receiver Gunner Olszewski to seal off the outside defender before zapping to the edge and winning the footrace to the pylon.
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPSvideos) August 15, 2023
Warren's improvements are also showing on tape this early. Here is a run from the Steelers' first drive, which displayed his power and shiftiness. Darnell Washington and Zach Gentry plowed the Buccaneers' line to the right and Allen Robinson allowed just enough room for Warren to escape the backfield, only for Warren to recognize a man on the outside and zig back to the center of the hashes for a 10-yard gain:
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPSvideos) August 15, 2023
These are two clean, in-game samples of what could be in store behind Harris, who has had a "no news is good news" type of training camp. Harris has been running with aggression, hitting his holes, and providing the physical nature that this Steelers running game wants to be branded as. Warren has showcased that, as well, while McFarland's emergence gives for a speedier and shiftier option compared to the other two.
“I hope so. I’ve just been coming into camp keeping my head down, not thinking about depth charts or where I may fit on this team," McFarland said. "Trying to control what I can control. ... Really just keeping my head down. Like I’ve told the other guys, you’ll never get too high, get too low. I don’t know where I stand, I’ll just continue to come out here to get better.”
McFarland's 18 rushing yards against the Buccaneers led all Steelers running backs. Warren and he split three carries apiece and each were targeted once in the passing game. Those are not isolated indicators of a timeshare as the Steelers' RB2, but McFarland undoubtedly has played his way into some sort of a role with the 2023 Steelers through a strong two and a half weeks of training camp.
“My goal was really just to be clean," McFarland said of Friday's performance. "Of course, you’re not always going to play a perfect game, but I always try to be perfect in my assignment. I fell a little bit short on that, but other than that I feel like there’s still more to be done.”
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• The offense recovered from a 3-1 deficit to earn a 4-3 victory in seven shots. Mike Tomlin called for the first-team offense versus the first-team defense in the final rep, and Pickett connected with Diontae Johnson on a pivot route with Chandon Sullivan in coverage for the decisive touchdown.
Harris followed the hole carved by Mason Cole and James Daniels for a touchdown on Play 1, and Pickett's next two passes were broken up. Levi Wallace reached out to break up a ball intended for Robinson, and Joey Porter Jr. got one over on George Pickens by breaking up a pass intended for him. Mitch Trubisky tossed touchdowns to Connor Heyward and Rodney Williams on Play 5 and Play 6, respectively.
Why did Tomlin call for the first-team offense and the first-team defense?
"It was 3-3. Just to stoke the competition," Tomlin said after practice. "Just to get those guys back out there and let them compete and be leaders for the other groups. You'd hate to have the drill riding on the pups, and so we put the starters back out there."
• An entire 10-minute stretch of Tuesday's practice was dedicated to inside handoffs.
• Nick Herbig beat Pat Freiermuth to the edge for a tackle for loss on a McFarland run, but McFarland came right back and gained about 10 yards on a toss sweep to the same side during a team period.
• One play that will surely be erased from Matt Canada's playbook was a handoff to Heyward, which was blown up by David Perales. Kendrick Green went in motion as the wing back and ran into Heyward during the slow-to-develop play.
• Kwon Alexander and Armon Watts earned some reps with the first-team defense.
"He's an NFL player," Tomlin said regarding Watts. "You can tell he's been in an NFL environment. He's available consistently every day. He'll be given an opportunity to state a case for himself, for sure."
• Elandon Roberts recorded a sack in the team period, Elijah Riley intercepted Trubisky in a team period, and James Pierre picked off Trubisky in a 7-on-7 period.
• Washington broke free for about 30 yards on a screen pass. Nobody wanted to try to tackle him. I can't blame them.
• There were three consecutive passes broken up by the defense in the final team period. Minkah Fitzpatrick broke one up intended for Pickens, Patrick Peterson broke one up intended for Johnson, and Wallace followed by breaking up a pass also intended for Johnson. There was some chirping back and forth between the defensive backs and wide receivers near the end of practice, and Cam Heyward got in on the fun by signing "Hey, hey, hey. Goodbye!" to the offense at the end of practice.
• On the injury front, Tomlin said "things are moving in the right direction" from those who did not participate in Tuesday's practice. Regarding Markus Golden being held out, Tomlin said "we took care of him." Larry Ogunjobi (right foot) missed Tuesday, and Tomlin said he is "moving closer" to a return. Ogunjobi wore a walking boot on his right foot.
• Otherwise, Keeanu Benton was back in pads for the first time since sustaining an ankle injury Friday. Nate Herbig (shoulder) sat out, and Tre Norwood (leg) returned for some individual work.
