Steelers' New Offense Is Setting Up Nice For Najee Harris: "We Saw What Happened With Derrick Henry"

The Pittsburgh Steelers made quite a few moves during the 2024 offseason that have been widely praised and seen as wise decisions. However, the choice to decline the fifth-year option of Najee Harris left many scratching their heads in confusion. Harris became the only Steelers running back in history to surpass 1,000 yards in each of their first three seasons, but still doesn't have a guarantee for his future in Pittsburgh. Despite all this, though, not everyone believes the Steelers are prepared to move on from the former Alabama running back.

Harris was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft (24th overall) and was in the backfield for the final season of Ben Roethlisberger's storied career. New Steelers Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith knows how to use bigger, bruising backs, and that will go a long way to Harris having a big fourth NFL season. Insider Gerry Dulac, who joined The Rich Eisen Show on Wednesday, believes that Smith's experience with Derrick Henry is what will lead to Harris proving his worth in Pittsburgh.

"They're not ready to give up on him. They wanted to see how he fits in Arthur Smith's offense. I mean, I just think it's a natural fit. I mean, we saw what happened with Derrick Henry when Arthur Smith was the OC in Tennessee. Najee Harris is the closest thing that you have to a Derrick Henry in the NFL."

Smith was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. During those years, Henry had his two best professional seasons, including his 2,027 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns in 2020. With Smith overseeing Pittsburgh's offense, Harris will finally have a competent play-caller who understands how to use the weapons he has available. Not only does Dulac believe Smith will be able to bring out a better version of Harris, but the new offense could result in the running back's best NFL season yet.

"To me, how's he gonna perform in Arthur Smith's offense? I would be surprised if he didn't have a fourth 1,000-yard season and even more. I think he's probably set up to have his best season yet, so they're not ready to give up on him, and I don't think they'll let him go."

Considering that Harris spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the combination of Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett, the fact that he still put together solid consecutive years is all the more impressive. The value of running backs in the NFL has lowered over the years, which makes his first-round status more of a weight than a positive. With an offense that already seems to be brimming with positive anticipation, compared to a lackluster vibe under Canada, the stage is set for Harris to show why he deserves a Black and Gold guarantee.

Steelers Can Lean On Two-Headed Monster

While Harris may not have expected Jaylen Warren to emerge as the other half of the formidable backfield in Pittsburgh, it has proven productive in the early stages. Harris brings a larger, downhill style to his running, and that pairs brilliantly with the shifty, speedy way Warren moves down the field. Between the two backs, the Steelers have a reliable, dangerous attack that has the potential to shoulder some serious offensive weight during the 2024 season.

Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will compete for the starting quarterback job during Pittsburgh's 2024 training camp, but the focus will be on how difficult opposing defenses will find the Warren and Harris combination. The best thing to hand a new quarterback in a system is a backfield that can handle itself, and the Steelers certainly have that ahead of 2024. If Pittsburgh only gets a modicum of better quarterback play than they got from Pickett, the Steelers should have no problem building on the team's surprising end to the 2023 campaign.

How many yards will Najee Harris rush for during the 2024 season? Comment below!

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