Oftentimes when players are being tasked with taking on a bigger role, they won’t admit to changing their offseason training program to prepare themselves to handle that increase.
Not so with Steelers running back Jaylen Warren.
With the departure of Najee Harris this offseason in free agency, Warren knows there could be more opportunities available for him in 2025. Because of that, he has adjusted his offseason training to be better able to handle that workload.
“I approached this off season differently,” Warren said recently at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I did a lot more things for longevity wise, instead of my old-school training like just getting the cleats on and running 30 hills. I had to adapt. This game is about longevity. And like they say, the best ability is availability.”
Warren has largely been available in his first three NFL seasons, playing in 48 of a possible 51 games. But he did miss two games in 2024 with a hamstring issue that slowed him at the start of the season. And even when he returned, the Steelers eased him back into things, leaning more heavily on Harris until Warren was up to speed.
He still produced 511 rushing yards on 120 carries while also catching 38 passes for another 310 yards. The 821 total yards were fewer than the 1,154 he produced in 2023, but more than the 593 he posted in his rookie season.
But Harris produced an average of 319 touches in his four seasons with the Steelers, meaning there are a lot of carries and catches to replace, including the 299 Harris posted in 2024, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s first with the team.
“Generally you’ve got 500-plus carries in a regular season,” said Smith. “You’re talking about 1,100 snaps. You would like to be on the plus side of 500. That means you’re in more four-minute. Let’s leave it at 500 carries to divvy up. That’s kind of where you’re at. Then obviously losing Naj (Harris), Naj for four years here, he was very…
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