Steelers Sign Explosive “Wild Card” Thanks To “Mike Tomlin’s Affinity” For Him
The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for all kinds of ways to fix the offense in the 2025 offseason. While quarterback and wide receiver are the biggest needs on the team, they will likely also look for a new feature back. Jaylen Warren has done great in his role, but there are some questions if he can handle a full workload. Could he be a starter, or is he best suited to be part of a duo? If the Steelers feel that way, they have plenty of options to fill in, since they will most likely let Najee Harris walk in free agency.
Steelers’ Jaylen Warren with Justin Fields during a contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette talked about how the Steelers have to value free-agent running backs, especially after how each of the big names in the 2024 offseason did with their new teams. He brought up numerous options for the team to look at, but pointed at one particular player that has always caught the eye of Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
“One wild card could be Mr. Chubb, or Nick Chubb, who experienced plenty of success in Cleveland before a gruesome injury,” Mackey noted. “Chubb probably wasn’t fully healthy in 2024. If he proves he’s healthy now, we know Mike Tomlin’s affinity for Cleveland’s former feature back.”
Nick Chubb’s injury history is very concerning as he missed a large chunk of the 2024 season to a devastating knee injury he suffered in Week 2 of the 2023 season against the Steelers. There were questions on how healthy he truly was when he returned, and he later broke his foot to officially end his season.
If he is able to recover from all those injuries, the Steelers would likely be willing to at least take a flyer on him and see what he has left in the tank. If he can get back to his normal power-running ways, he could be a great addition for whichever team picks him up. His offseason rehabilitation will be something that many teams keep an eye out for.
Steelers’ Potential Reasonings For Signing Chubb
During his best days with the Cleveland Browns, Chubb was the starter, but not a bell-cow back. He had Kareem Hunt behind him to take over and provide another dimension to the team’s explosive run game. The Steelers will most likely have Warren in 2025, and he can be the changeup to help maximize Chubb’s skillset.
When Tomlin loves a player, he refers to that individual in a proper sense. In this case, the Browns’ star was “Mr. Chubb,” as Mackey mentioned. The Steelers’ head coach has a lot of say of who joins his roster, so if he wants to give the veteran a shot, Chubb will be wearing black and gold, much to the chagrin of Browns fans.
Because of Chubb’s injuries, his perceived value by the league will most likely be very low. The 29-year-old’s market value is just under $3.3 million for one year, according to Spotrac. For that price, he will likely have a roster spot somewhere in 2025. Whether he can help carry the load or if he just a depth piece is still to be determined.
One other thing Mackey was right about is that this potential signing is would definitely be a wild card. There are plenty of other free-agent running backs available. Guys like JK Dobbins and Jordan Mason are younger and have performed well as of late. If they are going to sign a running back with injury concerns, why go for one of the older ones in the league?
There are many factors into this decision. Of course, there is the aforementioned rehabilitation and how that goes for Chubb. With how well free agent rushers did in 2024, maybe the market value of the 2025 class skyrockets and forces the Steelers to settle. Maybe Warren gets claimed by someone else as a restricted free agent.
What do you think about the Steelers potentially signing Chubb? Let us know in the comments.