The Pittsburgh Steelers are right where we are: sitting at home being mad. Although they managed to make the playoffs in 2023, they lost in the first round. It has now been seven years without a postseason victory, the longest drought in franchise history. The question is what to do next.
The first step is always taking stock of what happened and what is left. That’s part of the exit meeting process, in which coaches meet with each player. They discuss the season and their expectations moving forward—and potentially their role within it.
While we might not know all the details about what goes on between head coach Mike Tomlin and his players during these exit meetings, we do know how we would conduct those meetings if they were let up to us. So here are the Depot’s exit meetings for the Steelers’ roster following the 2023 season.
Player: Najee Harris
Position: RB
Experience: 3 Years
Najee Harris became the first running back in team history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. He was the first NFL running back in a decade or so to manage that feat. Granted, he wasn’t blowing anybody’s doors off. He’s averaging under 61 rushing yards per game over the past two seasons.
But he finished on a positive note. In the final seven regular-season games, he rushed for 536 yards with five touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. That jump in production coincided with the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Over just the final three weeks, he totaled 312 yards with four touchdowns and averaged 4.3 yards a carry.
The late surge has many reconsidering their preconceived notions about his future. The Steelers have to make a decision about his fifth-year option this offseason. As of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the option value becomes fully guaranteed, not just for injury, when exercised. That total is projected to be in the ballpark of $6.6 million.
Notable is the fact that the Steelers now have a very formidable one-two punch in their running back room. Partnered with Jaylen Warren, they have totaled over 2,000 team rushing yards the past two years. The last time the Steelers hit even 1,800 was in 2011.
While Warren has taken over most of the passing-downs work, the offense has functioned at its best when both of them are in the mix. The question is how consistently they can play. That is a question for the offensive line as much as it is for the backfield.
Harris does have solid hands—he caught six touchdown passes in his first two seasons—and is a capable blocker in pass protection as well. Both he and Warren have a complete skill set. The question is if the Steelers can manage to keep both on a long-term basis.
If they have to pick one or the other, who would they choose? One note worth making is that it’s much more common for teams not to pick up fifth-year options. It’s not a death sentence for that player’s future with the team.
