The Pittsburgh Steelers have a few players at key positions who become free agents this offseason. With those players, they’re presented some difficult decisions. Guys like Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Najee Harris have all shown reasons for Pittsburgh to keep them around. Yet, there’s been struggles as well. Harris is an especially interesting player and might have a better chance of coming back this offseason than most people suspect.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac gave his thoughts on Harris’ chance to return on Wednesday, during his weekly chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“There’s a decent chance that could happen,” Dulac wrote, in response to a fan asking if the Steelers should bring Harris back so they don’t have to use a draft pick on a running back. “Especially if MT [Mike Tomlin] gets his say.”
This would be an interesting draft to avoid using a pick on a running back. Compared to the last few seasons, this year’s running back class is extremely deep. If the Steelers absolutely needed to use a draft pick on a back, they wouldn’t have to waste a high pick. Even in the fourth and fifth rounds, there are quality prospects who can be at least rotational players in 2025.
Pairing Harris with a drafted running back would also make sense. Earlier this offseason, Dulac himself signaled that there is a “strong possibility” Harris returns to Pittsburgh in 2025. The free agent class at the position is relatively weak. The Steelers may not want to force themselves into taking a running back during the draft. If that’s true, Harris is one of the better options.
However, the most interesting part of Dulac’s message comes at the end. He signals that Harris will be brought back if Mike Tomlin gets his say. Tomlin obviously has a massive say in terms of roster moves. That shouldn’t come as any surprise. Dulac seems to be hinting that Tomlin is a fan of Harris here. If those last two points are both true, there’s probably a good chance we see Harris in a Steelers uniform in 2025.
Even still, every action the Steelers have taken over the last year or two has seemed to run counter to the notion of Najee Harris receiving a second contract. In a weak free agency class, though, the organization may have changed its mind. The draft is deep in promising prospects. If the Steelers truly don’t want to handcuff themselves into using a pick on a back, bringing Harris back makes more sense than many other free agents. And it would please Tomlin, it seems.
