Rico Dowdle has quietly become one of the more interesting names to watch on the Steelers’ roster, even if he’s nowhere near the first one people mention.
The obvious candidates in any conversation about Pittsburgh moving veterans are Patrick Queen and Jalen Ramsey. Dowdle, though, has slipped into the background despite the fact that he could draw real attention if the Steelers ever decide to listen on players.
The running back has missed three straight games with a toe injury, but he was close to suiting up in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts, according to head coach Mike McCarthy. That puts him in position to return in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That kind of timeline matters because running backs are always on the radar around this time of year. If a contender sees a need at the position, Dowdle could become a name to monitor if Pittsburgh is willing to deal.
There’s also the McCarthy connection. Dowdle is a favorite of the head coach after they spent five years together with the Dallas Cowboys from 2020 to 2024, and the two were reunited in Pittsburgh this offseason when Dowdle signed a two-year, $12.25 million deal.
The Steelers brought him in after a 2025 campaign in which he piled up 1,373 yards from scrimmage for the Carolina Panthers. Going into this season, the expectation was that he would share work with Jaylen Warren.
That’s not how it started. In Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, Dowdle managed just 21 yards on 10 touches, while Warren produced 73 yards on 15 touches.
Then came the injury in Week 2 against the New England Patriots. Dowdle left partway through that game and finished with 44 yards on nine touches.
Even with the missed time, he still looks like an important part of the offense. He’s the clear No. 2 behind Warren, and he brings value both as a runner and as a receiver.
But Warren has taken the backfield and run with it. Over the three games Dowdle has missed, Warren has put up 490 yards on 61 touches and seized full control.
That makes Dowdle easier to imagine as a trade chip, especially if Warren really is the superstar he looks like.
Still, a move doesn’t appear likely right now. The Steelers are not expected to give up on the season or ship out useful veterans unless things go badly before the November 10 trade deadline.
There’s also the contract factor. Dowdle is under team control in 2027, which gives Pittsburgh less reason to move him when he could still help next season.
And beyond Warren, the Steelers don’t have a particularly appealing insurance policy at running back. Eli Heidenreich, Travis Homer and Lew Nichols don’t look like ideal replacements if the team needs someone to handle a meaningful workload.
Could another team make an offer Pittsburgh can’t refuse? Sure. But for now, the more likely outcome is that Dowdle stays put after the deadline.
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