Jaylen Warren has been undeniably great through five games this season, so much so that the Pittsburgh Steelers may now have an interesting trade option they can afford to make.
With Warren deserving of the bell cow role moving forward, the Steelers would be wise to seek out trade partners for two-time 1,000-yard running back Rico Dowdle, who's missed the past few weeks with a toe injury and appears to be trending toward a return to action.
Why Aaron Rodgers wants Jaylen Warren as Steelers' clear RB1
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Dowdle, who signed with the Steelers on a two-year deal in March 2026, was heading into the season on the verge of history, in search of becoming the first
running back to consecutively rush for 1,000 yards in three seasons with three different teams. Unfortunately, the start to Dowdle's 2026 season hasn't exactly gone the way he was hoping. A toe injury left Dowdle sidelined, leaving Warren to emerge as one of the league's top playmakers.
Warren's emergence will likely force the Steelers' hand: the team can't return to the 1A-1B situation with him and Dowdle. But Dowdle is too talented to not receive a bigger role. Luckily, there are quite a few teams dealing with key injuries to their running back room and would be excellent fits for Dowdle. An early Day 3 pick would make the most sense, but this obviously hinges on Dowdle's return to action, which could be extremely soon after his return to practice last week.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Jaylen Warren's dominance gives Steelers key trade opportunity
