Steelers' Tough Running Back Decision Has Only One Likely Outcome: "It's A No Brainer"

The Pittsburgh Steelers surprised many people when they decided to decline running back Najee Harris' fifth-year option. Harris was the Steelers' first-round draft pick in 2021 after he helped the University of Alabama win two College Football Playoff National Championships. While many fans weren't thrilled with the selection of a running back with a coveted first pick, Harris has had 1,000-plus yards rushing in each of his first three seasons in the black and gold.

However, Harris hasn't been doing it alone since 2022, when the Steelers added Jaylen Warren, an undrafted rookie free agent to the roster. Warren didn't come with the resume Harris did, but no one could dispute that he was hungry. He has been running for the Steelers for pennies, just north of $857,000 on average, compared to Harris at just over $3.2 million a year on average. Warren will be an unrestricted free agent, and Harris will be a free agent, and everyone wants to know who the Steelers will choose to keep. 

In a recent edition of Kaboly's Steelers Mailbag, which Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show posts on X, he was asked about the two running backs and if the Steelers will prioritize giving Warren an offer, or giving Harris an extension. 

"It's a no brainer to me that they tender Warren, which means that they don't extend Harris unless he hits free agency and the market isn't robust and he comes back on a one-year, prove-it deal," tweeted Kaboly. "I don't see that happening so, unfortunately, I don't expect Harris to be back next year."

While Harris has received a lot of praise for his "Angry Runs" and his ability to hurdle opponents, or drag defenders behind him, he has also had his fair share of criticism. He has been accused of not hitting open running lanes, not seeing the field well, and being slow to start. However, when he does get going, he is almost unstoppable. 

Harris and Warren are very different running backs who have both been impacted by the adversity surrounding the Steelers' offense. That includes the poor leadership under previous Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada, and inconsistent quarterback play from Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph. That's why it's no surprise that Harris picked up the most yardage when Ben Roethlisberger was in his final season. The reality has been that they both play better when the other is in the rotation. 

The extension they declined for Harris was for roughly $6.7 million. It is hard to imagine they will find a high-quality running back for less than that unless they pick one up early in the draft. There has been talk that Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Head Coach Mike Tomlin might consider using the franchise tag on Harris. The current franchise tag value for a running back is $11.951 million. After all, the plan, supposedly, wasn't necessarily to get rid of Harris, but to gauge how well he fit into Arthur Smith's offense. Harris has shown that he works well with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. While he isn't pulling Saquon Barkley stats, he is having a respectable season with 749 yards, considering he shares the load with Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson.

Steelers Have A Lot Of Money And A Lot Of Free Agents In 2025

The Steelers will have many more decisions to make during the 2025 offseason than what to do at running back. They will also have a lot of money to play with. They are projected to have about $67.98 million. However, it could be more depending on a variety of factors. 

That is a good thing, considering they have a lot of free agent decisions to make. The Steelers have 21 players on their current roster who will be free agents after the 2024 season. That includes potential starting quarterbacks in Wilson and Fields, running backs Warren and Harris, and other big names like Elandon Roberts, James Daniels, and Donte Jackson. 

What do you think the Steelers should do about Harris and Warren? Click to comment below. 

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