The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of questions looming when it comes to their offense in 2025 and beyond at pretty much every position — quarterback, running back, wide receiver, left tackle… you name it. While the plan at quarterback is the most frequently mentioned need, there is one position that could be solved a bit sooner — and that position is running back.

After declining the fifth-year option for former first-round pick Najee Harris last offseason, he’ll become a free agent at the start of the 2025 league year — March 12 at 4 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, teammate Jaylen Warren is set to become a restricted free agent following his second consecutive campaign of 800+ scrimmage yards playing behind Harris.

When speaking to the media at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, GM Omar Khan gave some insight regarding the team’s plans for the position moving forward. Steelers beat reporter Nick Farabaugh reported that Khan shared the Steelers’ intention to tender Warren with the expectation that he’ll return in the 2025 season.

As noted in BTSC’s 2025 Offseason Almanac:

Teams are allowed to extend a qualifying offer — a one-year deal that comes with either a first-round, second-round, original-round, or rights-of-first-refusal tender — that gives them a chance to match any new offer the player might negotiate with a new team. If the player’s original team declines to match a new offer, they are awarded compensation based on the tender they gave their RFA. The round-based tenders indicate what draft pick an RFA’s new team would have to send the player’s original team.

Over The Cap projects a first-round tender to be worth $7.466 million, a second-round tender at $5.351 million and the Right of First Refusal tender at $3.267 million. Though a Right of First Refusal Tender seems like it would make the most sense financially, the apparent confidence in the ability to retain Warren (who’d likely garner plenty of interest on the market) does seem enough to wonder — could the team be considering a second-round tender on Warren, worth $5.351 million? Harris’ fifth-year option held a price tag of $6.79 million — just $1.439 million more than a second-round tender for Warren.

Khan also noted that the door is not closed on a new contract for Harris, but after repeatedly expressing his interest in the strength of this running back class, it seems like the team would probably be unwilling to match his market value, projected at $9.2 million in average annual value (AAV) per Spotrac.

What tender do you expect the Steelers to place on Warren heading into 2025 free agency? How would you feel about a second-round tender worth $5.351 million in 2025? Too rich?