Now in a pivotal offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have quite a few questions to answer in the months ahead from a roster-building perspective.
Of course, the quarterback position will command all of the attention as the Steelers have a major question mark at the most important position in sports.
But one other question that needs answered this offseason is the decision regarding running back Najee Harris’ fifth-year option. According to The Ringer’s Steven Ruiz, the decision regarding Harris and his fifth-year option is one of the biggest offseason questions not just for the Steelers but in the NFL overall.
“The Steelers have a similar choice to make regarding Najee Harris, who has been more of a contributor than [Kyle] Pitts but who also plays a position of lesser importance. Harris has been one of the better players on Pittsburgh’s punchless offense, but (a) that isn’t saying much, and (b) his lack of top-line production behind a shaky offensive line just goes to show that a running back can’t do it all on his own,” Ruiz writes. “The Steelers would have to pay Harris just over $6 million in 2025 on the fifth-year option. The smaller price tag may justify the move, but those dollars could be spent elsewhere on a roster that’s full of holes.”
Though there is still plenty of debate about the Steelers using a first-round pick on Harris when they had bigger needs, like the offensive line and defensive lines, the fact of the matter is the former Alabama star has been quite productive in his time with the Steelers.
In his first three seasons, Harris has recorded three straight 1,000-yard seasons, becoming the first Steeler to ever do that in his career. While that seems impressive on the surface, Harris hasn’t been the most efficient rusher, with his production being more due to volume than efficiency.
Still, he’s been a very valuable player for the Steelers and was outstanding down the stretch in 2023. Harris helped Pittsburgh reach the playoffs as the Steelers’ run game churned out nearly 150 yards per game in the second half of the season.
Despite the strong play late in the season, there is a question about Harris’ fifth-year option due to the price and the position he plays.
His fifth-year option value is projected to be $6.6 million based on his playing time over his first three seasons. That doesn’t seem all that expensive for the position overall, but it is still a decent amount of change.
Ruiz thinks that the Steelers can use some of that money to fill some holes elsewhere on the roster, rather than paying a running back at that number. It’s a fair argument, but it’s not how the Steelers are constructed from a stylistic standpoint. The Steelers are built around a run-heavy approach, and Harris is at the center of it.
With the quarterback issues and the recent hiring of Arthur Smith as the next offensive coordinator, it seems rather short-sighted to not pick up Harris’ fifth-year option at a relatively affordable rate. It’s certainly a hot topic, but it seems like a pretty easy decision for the Steelers — at least right now — to pick up Harris’ fifth-year option.
