Since RB Najee Harris was drafted in 2021, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had back-to-back mediocre years offensively. In 2021, they ranked 21st in points and 23rd in yards, and 2022 was more of the same, with the team finishing 26th in points and 23rd in yards. While it’s not a terribly high bar, it seems like this year’s offense is primed to take a step up.
Harris was asked how this year’s offense compared to the offense from his first two seasons today, in an interview on Steelers.com.
“This is the best offense.” Harris stated. “Not only that but just the accountability and the way that we’re bonding right now and the way that we’re all bought in. My first year, we had the pieces, but we kind of didn’t really understand exactly what we were as an identity yet. My second year we had a lot of questions at certain positions of where, who’s gonna be right here, who’s gonna be the backup right here? We didn’t have really all of it together. End of the year we kind of understood everybody’s position, labor of work, and stuff. And then this year coming in, we understand everything and everybody understands their roles and how to make the most of it.”
Looking back on that 2021 team there was objectively a lot of talent on the roster. They had a Hall of Fame QB in Ben Roethlisberger and three young wide receivers coming off strong seasons in Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and JuJu Smith-Schuster, any of whom seemed primed for a breakout. But as Harris said, the team didn’t really have their identity yet, and sans Johnson and Harris himself, most of the other skill guys were disappointed.
Last season, there were so many question marks for the offense. Who was going to take over at quarterback? Could George Pickens make an impact? Would Chase Claypool bounce back? Who was Harris’ backup? Even going into it, it felt like a bridge year between the Roethlisberger and Pickett eras.
This year, it feels like the questions have been answered. There are two proven wide receivers, Jaylen Warren as one of the better backup running backs in the league, and even a rebuilt offensive line that feels like it will be solid. It’s no surprise that the Steelers’ skill guys have been popular breakout picks this offseason.
For Harris and the offense, this feels like the year where it all comes together. The talent is there, the roles are clear, and there are no glaring weaknesses. If this team ends up in the bottom third of the league in offense yet again, there are going to be some disappointed coaches and fans.
