The Free Agent Steelers Can’t Afford to Lose

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are headed into free agency without many big names they need to bring back, but certainly some important pieces they must re-sign. Obviously, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the highlight of their free agency class, but the expectation remains that he'll return in 2026.

However, there's another piece to their offense who might be gone. And truthfully, this team cannot afford to lose them, even though they likely will.

Running back Kenneth Gainwell only spent a year in Pittsburgh, but quickly became a force within their offense. The 2025 Team MVP, Gainwell's impact went beyond the backfield as he turned into their second-leading receiver and the perfect 1B alongside Jaylen Warren.

Now, he's headed into free agency. The team hasn't re-signed him yet but has made it known they want to.

"Kenny was great to have around, and he knows we want him back, and we’ve been in communication with his people,” general manager Omar Khan said at the NFL Combine.

Gainwell's expected market value is $2.9 million, according to Spotrac. The Steelers have around $52 million in available cap space after the release of tight end Jonnu Smith, making that number easy for them if Gainwell expects it.

Don't Expect It, Though

Don't look at the Steelers as the front-runners for Gainwell, though. While they want their star running back back, they've also kept an eye on the rest of the market. That includes names like Kenneth Walker, who a team source said Pittsburgh is looking at, but isn't expecting to land.

All it'll take is a team like the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks or maybe even the Kansas City Chiefs to value Gainwell higher than others on the market. And while Gainwell doesn't have the name that others do, his value being lower but his skills being nearly just as good might make him a sneaky top option for a lot of teams out there.

Dec 21, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) celebrates after a touchdown during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Gainwell seemed like an easy decision for the Steelers, and truthfully is on their side of things. But it takes two to tango, and Gainwell's market may be a little bigger than we anticipated going into free agency.

Without him, the Steelers need to find a running back to accompany Warren in 2026 and be just as valuable as the Most Valuable Player they're replacing. That's no easy task, but it feels less and less likely that Gainwell is returning, and more and more likely that Pittsburgh needs to find a replacement option.

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