Steelers Fans Worry On Jaylen Warren Awkward Status
The only other RFA not to sign his tender is Atlanta Falcons center Ryan Neuzil.
Advertisement
Warren is still under team control for one more season, but has no contract. The undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State signed a three-year contract with the team in 2022. His contract expired, but he does not have the four-year minimum to be an unrestricted free agent. Therefore, he remains under the Steelers' exclusive control.
Pittsburgh will have to pay Warren $5.346 million this season as he was tagged with a second-round tender.
With Najee Harris departing via free agency, it was presumed Warren would be the leader to take over the starting role, but he cannot do that without a contract.
Advertisement
So Steelers fans have a reason for now to worry about this awkward situation.
It is almost certain the Steelers will address the position at some point this weekend in the NFL Draft.
Warren could be fishing for a longer-term deal with Pittsburgh and might be refusing to sign his tender as leverage. Without a contract, he cannot attend any team events, like mini-camp or other organized team activities.
Warren, who signed a minimum deal out of college, will receive a substantial raise this season, either way. Even if he signs his tender, the can still negotiate with the Steelers for a longer term contract.
Advertisement
It should be noted the Steelers have not offered a multi-year second contract to a running back since Willie Parker in 2006.
Warren rushed 346 times in three seasons for 1,674 yards and six touchdowns.
Related: 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Browns, Steelers Start Over at QB, Shedeur Sanders Falls Out of 1st Round
Related: Steelers Add Defensive Secondary Help in NFL Mock Draft
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gleyber Torres' 150th career homer (12)
Gleyber Torres gives the Tigers a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer, the 150th of his career, in the top of the 3rd inning
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred downplays reported Bryce Harper confrontation: 'We shook hands'
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred would like everyone to stop making a big deal about his reported confrontation with Bryce Harper. Speaking with reporters on Friday after announcing Wrigley Field will host the 2027 MLB All-Star Game, Manfred downplayed a meeting in which the Philadelphia Phillies star reportedly told him he could "get the f*** out of our clubhouse" in response to a mention of the game's economics. When asked about the exchange, Manfred said the reaction was overblown: "I don't talk about those player meetings — let me say this. I think more has been made out of this than needs to be made out of it. Bryce expressed his views, at the end of the meeting, we shook hands and went our separate ways. Just not all that significant. "It was an individual picking a particular way to express himself and I don't think you need to make more out of it than that. Harper was similarly hesitant to discuss the incident after it was reported, but did confirm it took place and added 'I've always been very vocal [in labor discussions], just not in a way that people can see.' The incident occurred amid mounting tension over upcoming collective bargaining agreement, which expires after the 2026 season. It is expected the league will insist on the introduction of a salary cap, which the MLB Players Association has always treated as a non-starter. If both sides hold their ground, the result would likely be a work stoppage that could affect the 2027 season. Manfred reportedly mentioned the word "lockout" in the meeting with the Phillies, and it's never a good sign when the commissioner is planting that seed more than a year in advance. Asked about a contingency plan for a work stoppage on Friday, Manfred again downplayed the possibility: "My contingency plan is to make an agreement with the players and play the '27 season." Few other stakeholders are as optimistic. In March, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said the union believes a lockout is coming. This week, Phillies star Nick Castellanos used an interesting analogy for Manfred's mention of a lockout, via ESPN: "That's nothing to throw around. That's the same thing as me saying in a marriage, 'I think divorce is a possibility. It's probably going to happen.' You don't just say those things." It's been a contentious decade already for the league and union, which got in protracted disputes in both 2020 and the 2021-22 offseason. The latter resulted in both a delayed start to the 2022 season (but no lost games) and the current deal set to expire after 2026.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson arrested this week after reported altercation with boyfriend at SeaTac airport
Team USA sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson was arrested on Sunday after reportedly getting into a fight with her boyfriend at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to a police report obtained by multiple media outlets. Richardson was charged with domestic violence, but the case has since been cleared. According to the report, Richardson got into an argument with her boyfriend, fellow U.S. sprinter Christian Coleman, and began shoving him. Police also said that Richardson threw a pair of headphones at Coleman, per USA TODAY. Police arrested Richardson for fourth-degree domestic violence assault as a result of security camera footage of the incident. Richardson was booked in South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, WA on Sunday evening, according to jail records. She was released on Monday afternoon. Richardson and Coleman went public with their relationship in February, though Coleman reportedly told police that the two have been together for two years. Per the report, Coleman refused to press charges and "declined to be a victim," via The Athletic. USA Track and Field said in a statement to USA TODAY that the organization was aware of the reports, but did not provide any additional comment. Richardson competed in the USA Track and Field championships in Eugene, Oregon, running in the first round of the women's 100 meter race on Thursday. With a time of 11.07 seconds, Richardson came in 11th place, missing the cut for the semifinal race on Friday. She is set to compete in the first round of the women's 200m on Sunday.
