Throughout training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and even in the preseason opener last Friday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s been rather noticeable that third-year running back Najee Harris has had limited reps overall.
Could that be the Steelers slow-playing Harris in hopes of keeping him fresh for the workload he’ll receive in the regular season while trying to avoid injury?
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin shut down that notion Thursday during his weekly press conference ahead of Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. The limited reps and light workload in training camp have more to do with the maturation process of Harris, who was hobbled by a foot injury for the first half of the 2022 season, more than anything else.
“Not in response to that injury that you mentioned, it’s just about the maturation of him as a professional and giving him what he needs,” Tomlin said of Harris’ workload in training camp, according to video via the Steelers official YouTube page. “We don’t live in fear regarding injury or injury history.
“Less physical reps required the older he gets, and that’s nothing groundbreaking or earth shattering about that.”
Of course, Harris suffered a LisFranc injury during training camp last season on the first day of padded practices and missed much of training camp with what Tomlin then described as Harris getting stepped on. It was obviously much more serious than that and hindered Harris into the regular season, causing him to wear a metal plate in his foot to protect the injury.
That metal plate slowed Harris way down early in 2022 and led to some disappointing performances. Once he took the plate out of his shoe though, Harris looked like the back the Steelers drafted him in the first round to be in 2021. He ran hard and determined in the second half of the season, playing a key role in the Steelers becoming the No. 7 rushing attack in the second half of the season, going 7-2 down the stretch.
Entering Year Three, Harris is well-established, so it’s not much of a surprise that the Steelers are limiting reps in practices and in preseason games. He’s going to carry a heavy workload this season once again, so training camp and preseason is a great time for the Steelers to continue to develop Jaylen Warren as the No. 2 running back and give Anthony McFarland Jr. and others chances at earning the No. 3 role.
While that occurs, it also keeps Harris fresh and out of harm’s way. So, while Tomlin says they are not operating in their fears regarding past injuries, they are being smart with Harris. That’s all that matters, really.
