The Pittsburgh Steelers recently declined their fifth-year option on running back Najee Harris, which has created speculation that the Steelers could potentially trade him. At the very least, it signifies that Pittsburgh is preparing to move on from him at the end of next season.
Or is that what Harris actually wants?
Earlier on Thursday, Paul Zeise of 93.7 The Fan revealed he was told that Harris specifically asked the team to turn down his option because he himself wanted to go elsewhere. Now, Harris' agent, Doug Hendrickson, is stating that Zeise is full of bologna.
Apparently, Zeise got some wrong information. Or perhaps Hendrickson is just trying to cover for his client.
It's honestly probably the former because it would seem a bit strange for Harris to request that the Steelers decline his option so he can sign elsewhere next March. Why wouldn't he just ask for a trade in that instance?
Either way, Harris may already see the writing on the wall regardless of whether or not he told Pittsburgh to make this decision.
Najee Harris may see a decrease in touches
The emergence of Jaylen Warren in the Steelers' backfield has made it very hard to justify giving Harris the bulk of the carries in 2024.
Warren played in every game this past season, rushing for 784 yards and four touchdowns while averaging a robust 5.4 yards per carry. He also hauled in 61 receptions for 370 yards. That came after a rookie campaign in which he registered 379 yards and one score on the ground while logging 28 catches for 214 yards.
So what does that mean for Harris?
Well, it's not that Harris isn't productive. Since entering the league as a first-round draft pick in 2021, he has never missed a game. He has also rushed for over 1,000 yards each season. He has been very reliable for Pittsburgh. The problem is that he has not been very efficient.
While there is certainly value in having a running back who can wear down opposing defenses like Harris, it also helps to rip off big chunks of yardage, and Harris doesn't really do that. He posted a pedestrian 4.1 yards per attempt in 2023, and throughout his career, he has tallied just 3.9 yards per tote.
Harris' pass-catching numbers have also decreased significantly. After catching 74 balls in his rookie campaign, he collected 41 grabs in 2022 and dipped all the way down to 29 last season. Clearly, Warren has become the more popular target in the Steelers' passing game.
The 26-year-old amassed 255 carries this past year. Meanwhile, Warren only had 149. Based on their production, it stands to reason that Pittsburgh may end up splitting touches between the two halfbacks in 2024. Or, at the very least, Warren may approach Harris' numbers in terms of carries.
The Steelers will almost definitely head into next season with both Harris and Warren in their backfield. They are trying to contend for a playoff spot, and as inefficient as Harris has been, he is still valuable to them, so a trade seems unlikely at this juncture.
But you do have to wonder what will happen if Harris isn't satisfied with his role by the trade deadline, especially if Pittsburgh is struggling as a whole.
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