PITTSBURGH —The Pittsburgh Steelers used a two-back timeshare last season, with the combination of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell leading the way on the ground. With the latter having left in free agency, first-year head coach Mike McCarthy replaced him with former Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers tailback Rico Dowdle .
Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung sees the duo being impactful this upcoming season, crediting versatility and different running styles for the production to come.
"I definitely envision them being two valuable, very accessible players for us — interchangeable — a thunder and lightning type of atmosphere with those two guys," Chinyoung said Wednesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "Both of them have the ability to do multiple things from a scheme standpoint, and they're interchangeable. They're two quality, value guys for us."
Warren had nearly 100 more carries than Gainwell a campaign ago — leading the team with 958 rushing yards and six touchdown surges. Dowdle, meanwhile, during his lone go-round with the Panthers, went for 1,076 yards and six scores on 236 gives.
How carries are divided between Warren and Dowdle when things get going in September will be a weekly decision.
"Per game, it will define itself," Chinyoung said. "What scheme we're going to highlight, what scheme we're going to basically star in that game and things of that nature. But, when it comes to Jaylen and Rico, Coach (McCarthy) will define that. He wants two fresh backs at all times. So we'll find ways to make sure that we get them on the field and they have equal amount of ample time on the field."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Ramon Chinyoung Offers Clue on Steelers RB Rotation
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