The Pittsburgh Steelers declined the fifth-year option on RB Najee Harris last month, and now entering the last year on his contract, Harris needs to play well to hit the open market as a hot commodity. For that reason, 2024 represents a “make or break” season for Harris, according to NFL.com’s Nick Shook. Shook writes that with the way the RB market has “collapsed,” Harris needs to cash in.
“That makes this a prove-it year for the Alabama product, who has at times carried the Steelers’ offense on his back, but who has also seen his job threatened by backup Jaylen Warren. The time is now for the ‘motivated’ Harris to ball out and raise his value on the open market. And with the way the RB market has largely collapsed in the recent years, you definitely don’t want to enter free agency after a down season,” Shook writes.
Harris has three straight 1,000-yard seasons, largely behind a struggling offensive line, but the Steelers revamped their offensive line through the draft this season. Coupled with bringing in Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator and upgrading at quarterback with Russell Wilson, things should be easier for Harris in 2024, and he’s going to look to take advantage of his opportunity in an attempt to secure a big contract next offseason.
It was a surprising decision by the Steelers to decline Harris’ option, but the team reportedly wants to see how he looks in Smith’s offense and they do have Warren as another option. Warren has proven to be more explosive than Harris, and his presence likely played a factor in the team’s decision to decline Harris’ option.
But Harris could make that decision look foolish with a strong season. Even though running backs are increasingly being devalued around the league, his fifth-year option came in at just $6.79 million, which isn’t all that much money in the grand scheme of things. The current projected franchise tag amount for a running back would be right around double that amount at $13.354 million, which makes it unlikely that the Steelers are going to retain Harris beyond 2024.
Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Steelers RB Jerome Bettis sees it as a “blessing in disguise” for Harris that the team declined his option. He could prove that with a strong season and hit the open market and get a nice salary in Pittsburgh or more than likely elsewhere. The pieces are in place for Harris to have a strong season in 2024, and if he does, he could be sitting pretty come next March.
