This week is one of the most important of the year on the NFL calendar. Sure, the prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine are the stars of the show. The new names and faces that will be joining the league in April are the whole reason the NFL Combine exists.

However, it’s everything behind the scenes that makes Indianapolis a breeding ground for rumors, hearsay, and downright facts about NFL free agency, which starts the second week of March. The Pittsburgh Steelers, armed with plenty of cap space and a few major decisions, will be under a microscope this week, and there are already some talks about who may be coming and going in Pittsburgh come March.

Steelers could lose running back Kenneth Gainwell in free agency

Coming into the 2025 season, the running back room was headlined by Jaylen Warren, and the excitement surrounded rookie Kaleb Johnson. Then came some first-year struggles in camp and against the Seattle Seahawks, and Johnson was essentially redshirted.

That opened the door for Gainwell, who went from a third-string change of pace player to the second leading receiver on the team, and the 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers MVP as voted on by his teammates. He totaled over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, and he was often the most reliable player on the Steelers’ offense.

But now he’s a free agent.

What could Kenny Gainwell make on the open market?

Spotrac projects Gainwell to receive a two-year deal, worth $5.9 million. For a team with $40 million in effective cap space, that seems like a no-brainer for someone who was as valuable and cost-effective as Gainwell in 2025. But the Steelers have holes in their secondary, and certainly at WR.

Oh, and whether it’s Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr or someone else, the Steelers starting quarterback isn’t under contract for 2025, unless of course they go into the year with Mason Rudolph or Will Howard.

There is also a world where a team pays Gainwell starting caliber money, and the Steelers don’t match. Not only was he highly productive, but this is a player who didn’t miss a game all year, proving his durability. He’s also in his prime at 26-years-old.

Regardless of who’s under center in 2026, they will need weapons. That includes throwing multiple darts at the WR position via both free agency and the NFL Draft and it should include the return of Gainwell.