Running back Rico Dowdle agrees to free-agent deal with Steelers: Sources

Veteran running back Rico Dowdle has agreed to a free-agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, league sources told The Athletic on Monday.

Dowdle was ranked No. 51 overall among The Athletic’s top 150 free agents and was considered the third-best running back in this free agency class.

This offseason marked the second consecutive year that Dowdle entered free agency with some momentum from the previous season. Dowdle entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina in 2020 with the Dallas Cowboys, but the first three years of his NFL career were littered with injuries and a lack of opportunity.

Dowdle broke out with a late-season surge with the Cowboys in 2024 and posted his first 1,000-yard season. Despite his stellar showing in the second half of that year, the Cowboys opted not to re-sign Dowdle, so the running back signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers to join a backfield that featured Chuba Hubbard.

Hubbard suffered an injury in Week 4, which handed the keys to the Panthers’ running back role to Dowdle. In his fifth year, Dowdle took full advantage, running for 206 yards in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins and totaling 239 scrimmage yards against the Cowboys in Week 6. Although Dowdle’s two big performances earned him a bigger share of the backfield, he was back to splitting the workload with Hubbard when the latter returned from his injury.

In the final 11 games of the season, Dowdle had just one more 100-yard game, which came in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers. Dowdle also had two touchdowns in that game, which is also how many touchdowns he had in the other 10 games combined. For the season, he finished with 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries.

How Dowdle fits in Pittsburgh

When Kenneth Gainwell left in free agency, the Steelers needed a running back to round out their room. They did so with a dramatically different type of ball carrier. While the small and shifty Gainwell excelled in the passing game, Dowdle is a big, physical and decisive runner at 6 feet and 215 pounds. Dowdle averaged 4.6 yards per carry last year, with 3.15 after contact.

The agreement is a reunion for Dowdle, who thrived earlier in his career under Mike McCarthy in Dallas. While McCarthy is known for his West Coast passing attack, the new head coach made it clear in his introductory news conference that he wants to establish the run to take the pressure off the quarterback. He now has a tone-setting type of back capable of carrying the load.

2026 roster impact

Dowdle’s addition now gives the Steelers a variety of body types and running styles. He pairs well with the 5-8 Jaylen Warren, who has been at his best in a third-down role and out of the shotgun; Warren is now likely to assume the pass-catching role that Gainwell occupied last year. Given the increased opportunities in this area, Warren may produce results similar to those of Gainwell, though he’s not as refined as a route runner. The Steelers spent a third-round pick on Kaleb Johnson last season, thinking he fit ideally into former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s wide-zone attack. Johnson might still be in the picture, but because his skill set overlaps with Dowdle’s to a degree, the second-year back will have to take his carries when he gets them. If Dowdle and Warren are the top two backs, there’s a good shot Dowdle takes the 1A role and Warren is the change-of-pace back.

Cap update

While Dowdle’s contract terms have not been reported, he’s a running back who likely won’t break the bank. The Steelers should still have plenty of cap space to address the offensive line (specifically left guard after the departure of Isaac Seumalo) and quarterback.

Mike DeFabo’s take

While Warren has made the most of his opportunities — and it’s far too soon to give up on Johnson — Pittsburgh needed a legitimate option to carry the load in its offense. The Steelers couldn’t go into the season with just a 5-8 running back as their top option and an unproven second-year player like Johnson. Dowdle’s bruising style is just what the team needs to solidify this position. Had the Steelers not made this type of move, Warren’s stature and Johnson’s inexperience might have left the running back room in a tough spot.