The Pittsburgh Steelers declined Najee Harris’ fifth-year option last week, which of course fueled a stupid trade scenario about Harris to the Dallas Cowboys, one that was shot down by people in the Cowboys organization. But Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes teams should at least check in on Harris given that the Steelers also have RB Jaylen Warren. In his mailbag, Breer answered a reader question about the Raiders acquiring Najee Harris, and while he wasn’t sure about the price to acquire him, Breer thinks teams around the league should ask about trading for Harris.
“A Day 2 pick, maybe? I don’t know, to be honest,” Breer wrote about what it would cost Las Vegas to trade for Harris. “But there are a few teams, given that the Pittsburgh Steelers have Jaylen Warren, who should put in the ask.”
Teams ask around about pretty much every player in the league. It doesn’t mean a trade is going to happen, and unless the Steelers get an offer they can’t refuse for Harris, I find it hard to believe he’s going anywhere. Now, this is likely his last season in Pittsburgh. An extension feels unlikely after the Steelers declined his option, and they seem to like what they have in Warren.
But let’s consider for a second where the Steelers are this season. They just hired an offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith who loves to run the ball, added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to upgrade the quarterback room, and are pretty firmly in win-now mode. Warren is talented and can lead the backfield, sure, but why make that room worse in exchange for future draft capital when you can run both backs in a season where you’re aiming to win? It just doesn’t make a ton of sense.
No team is trading a first-round pick for Harris, and he’s now going to play behind the best offensive line he ever has with the Steelers. He’s still managed to run for over 1,000 yards each of his first three years in the league, and while his yards per carry output hasn’t been the best, he’s shown flashes. A better offensive line should raise his ceiling this season. Getting a future third-round pick for him might feel nice come next offseason, but it leaves the Steelers with a hole at running back next to Warren in 2024, a season where they’re pushing their chips in the table and betting on being competitive and trying to finally win a playoff game for the first time since 2016.
Teams will check in, and they should, because Harris can elevate the backfield in a lot of different places right now, and the Steelers do have a solid alternative in Warren. But I’m really hard-pressed to see any realistic scenario where Harris is wearing another uniform come 2024.
