Steelers Not Likely To Bring Back Najee Harris: "[They] Need A RB Who Can Turn A 10-Yard Gain Into A 40-Yard Gain"

The offseason madness is in full swing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As Mike Tomlin and company prepare for the NFL Combine and gear up for a busy free agency, many fans are wondering what pending free agents will be brought back to Pittsburgh in 2025. One name who has fans split is Najee Harris. Harris has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons and with a total of 28 rushing touchdowns with the Steelers. One of the best traits he brought to Pittsburgh was his durability, playing in every game in his career. While these stats are all nice to see on paper, the Steelers still might not bring back their former first round pick this offseason.

With both of the Steelers' running backs not currently under contract for the 2025 season, there are plenty of avenues the front office could take. They could bring back both Harris and Jaylen Warren, choose the cheaper option between the two, or start from scratch through free agency and/or the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Insider Mark Kaboly was asked about Harris' future with the Steelers in his recent Steelers Mailbag and he believes it's time to move on from the former first rounder.

"I am never going to say never, but I don't see it happening anything short of the free agency market not being friendly to Harris, which I don't anticipate," said Kaboly. "The Steelers need a running back who can turn a 10-yard gain into a 40-yard gain, not a 10-yard gain into a 15-yard gain, and that's what Harris has been the past four years."

For a running back that never finished a season under 1,000 yards, he struggled in his last three seasons to hit that milestone. With a career average of 3.9 yards per attempt, it doesn't scream breakaway runner. His longest rush in his career is just 37 yards his rookie season. The Steelers do not currently have someone ready to take Harris' workload in 2025 on their roster, but that could change with a new deal with Warren and adding quality depth in the draft.

While many fans enjoyed Harris in his four years in Pittsburgh, being a great ambassador for the team and a great personality to have around, it's a business at the end of the day. Many believe Harris hasn't performed up to the standards of a first round running back and with how deep this draft is with talented backs, the Steelers could end up spending less money bringing back Warren with a rookie to rotate with, compared to signing Harris to a short-term deal.

While Warren was a undrafted free agent, he has been a big contributor to the Steelers' offense in his first three seasons. He has shown that he could step into Harris' role without many hiccups and has already shown his explosive ability on the ground and in the passing game. If the Steelers can find him a new partner in the backfield, not only will they save a bit in cap space, but could see more explosive plays from their running backs -- something Harris failed to bring to the table consistently.

It May Be Time For The Steelers To Move On From Harris

With so many holes in this Steelers' roster, running back is near the bottom of the list when it comes to concerns. Omar Khan needs to find quality receivers and defensive linemen to help shore up Pittsburgh's weaknesses from this past season. Harris just didn't show last season that he is worth the investment to many fans. If he is willing to take a lesser deal, then there could be a future that has Harris still wearing a Steelers uniform. His current market value is projected at $9.2 million annually, a price point that could keep the Steelers away. 

All the signs are pointing to Harris leaving in free agency, but with a good possibility that Warren re-signs and finding another running back in the draft, the Steelers' ground game should be just fine.

Should the Steelers let Harris walk? Would you re-sign him to a deal paying him $9.2 million a year? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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