This offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made several solid additions to their roster. They include DK Metcalf and Darius Slay. However, they’ve also lost some key contributors. Najee Harris might be the most signficant loss. While he he’s the best running back in the league, Harris has been a model of consistency. Sometimes, that can be hard to find at that position. Former NFL running back Jawon Chisholm, who spent some time with the Steelers in 2015, believes Pittsburgh will miss Harris’ reliability
“I don’t think people sometimes understand how hard it is to be healthy, especially in the NFL, let alone the high school level,” Chisholm said recently on the Sports Buzz Podcast. “I’ve seen so many five-stars come in and never even play. I’ve seen people that was supposed to be this, but you never get to see them play. Because why? Injuries.
“So, for you to stay healthy, which means you’re doing something right with your body, flexibility, mobility. You’re taking care of your body; you’re putting money into it. My biggest thing is, I wish him the best. I liked him as a running back. Sometimes, people need new homes to become what they can become.”
Chisholm isn’t wrong. Staying healthy while playing football, at any level, can be tough. In his four seasons with the Steelers, Harris didn’t miss a single game. That would be impressive for any position, but at running back, that’s spectacular.
Some people like to say that availability is the best ability, and Harris has been a workhorse, rushing for 1,000 yards in every season of his career in Pittsburgh. That included him being part of some dreadful offenses. Oftentimes, the Steelers weren’t doing Harris many favors. With his new team, the Los Angeles Chargers, he could find more success.
It doesn’t sound like Chisholm thinks the Steelers’ backfield is hopeless, though.
“Jaylen Warren, it’s time for him to step up. And they picked up [Kenneth Gainwell] from the Eagles. He went to Memphis. I like him a lot,” he said. “They should still have a great backfield. Hopefully, they can get a quarterback. Whoever’s there, I know they’ll do good. It’s been a great organization.”
The Steelers did sign Kenneth Gainwell, but he’s not really a lead back. He’s served mostly as a change-of-pace player, providing some value in the pass game and on special teams. That likely isn’t going to change much with the Steelers.
Warren is the player Harris’ absence could affect the most. During his time in the league, he’s served in a role similar to Gainwell. Warren has been most effective coming in as relief for Harris, being a fantastic guy to have in a combo. At the moment, he’s scheduled to be more in Harris’ role while Gainwell takes his spot.
It’s unclear if Warren is ready for that. He might not be suited to handle the full load the Steelers could place on him. Therefore, the Steelers could turn to the draft to replace Harris. Running back is one of the greatest strengths of the 2025 draft. Even though they don’t have a second-round pick, the Steelers can probably find a quality starter with one of their first selections.
While Chisholm is confident in Warren and Gainwell, the Steelers might be better off adding another running back to that room. That could allow both those players to settle into their more natural roles. Harris might not have been spectacular, but he was reliable. The Steelers could find themselves missing that quality in 2025.
