How much can Najee Harris improve his quickness and explosiveness?
In contrast to previous seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris is slimming down rather than bulking up. Not substantially so, but according to the trainer he’s working with, he’s picking up some agility. And he’s doing so now, facing a contract year.
Najee Harris is not one of the faster nor more elusive running backs in the NFL. If he gets by you, it’s likely via a stiff-arm or a shoulder charge, and you won’t feel too good. He won’t break your ankles, but your collarbone better be on high alert.
Nevertheless, he’s probably maxed out what he can accomplish at this weight over the past three years. Sure, he could profit some with better offensive line performances and play-calling, which he may see this year. But he won’t find the sidelines any better or flee third-level defenders any more rapidly from those factors.
Now, he needs to get faster and quicker if he wants to find areas of the field he doesn’t see as often. I’m sure he doesn’t expect some revolutionary transformation of his game. He’s not going to suddenly find breakaway speed in those legs. But can he introduce some shiftiness, some burst that, by and large, he hasn’t yet displayed?
That’s the question he’s trying to answer this offseason as he slims down and homes in on his agility training. Many bigger running backs decide to slim down a year or two into the league, particularly in recent years. The Steelers have a history of drafting bigger backs who drop weight, most notably Le’Veon Bell.
Bell never became a homerun hitter, but his added quickness did suit his game well. Unfortunately, Najee Harris doesn’t have the same vision for the field. But he has more power, and if he can keep that power while adding more speed, he’ll be better off for it.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
