One of the realities about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season being over is that this roster will not be the same as next year. Running back Najee Harris is one of roughly two dozen players who are scheduled to hit free agency. Selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2021 draft, Harris has been a consistent player in an inconsistent offense. With Harris’ future uncertain, it sounds like Mike Tomlin appreciates what he has given the Steelers.
“[Harris] has had an awesome four years here,” Tomlin said Tuesday via the team’s YouTube channel. “I understand that he is a free agent. Again, it’s at the very beginnings of that process in terms of us assessing what we’re capable of doing or what we desire to do.
“And I’d imagine it’s the same thing from a player’s perspective. But rest assured, we’ve had a good experience with him, and obviously, the ridiculous consistency in his performance in terms of producing four straight thousand-yard seasons speaks for itself.”
Harris might not be among the NFL’s best running backs, but he has been dependable. He doesn’t fumble often, and he hasn’t missed a regular-season game in his career. At a position like running back, those two things go a long way.
At the moment, it’s unclear if Harris will return to the Steelers. He has produced a thousand yards in every year he’s been in the NFL, but the Steelers might not want to give Harris a big contract, especially after declining his fifth-year option last May. He could potentially receive a better deal somewhere else. Running back has become a devalued position in the NFL, but a team might feel like Harris can be a valuable addition to its offense.
It’s unfortunate that Harris joined the Steelers during a transition phase. Their offense has had multiple issues since he joined them, and not many of them are his fault. Whether it’s been quarterback, offensive line, or wide receiver, the Steelers have struggled to put the pieces together. Harris has been steady through it all, though.
In a few months, we’ll see if Harris returns to the Steelers. With their season just ending, the Steelers have not had any serious discussions about free agents yet. Things might become clearer in the coming weeks, but bringing Harris back wouldn’t be a terrible idea.
