The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the team's 2024 training camp with one of the more intriguing backfields in the league. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren formed a productive one-two punch during the 2023 season, tallying 1,819 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns between them. With the Steelers declining the fifth-year option on Harris' rookie contract, there is a real chance that 2024 is the last season the former Alabama running back wears black and gold. However, with Warren's breakout 2023 year, the loss of Harris may not impact Pittsburgh as much as some may think.
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Running back Jaylen Warren scores a touchdown for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Los Angeles Rams.
After Warren signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2022, he impressed with 379 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up in 2023 with 784 yards and four scores as part of the two-headed rushing attack. Heading into what could be the final season with Harris on the roster, Warren could be the next man up in Pittsburgh moving forward. Terence Garvin, a former Steelers linebacker, was on The Arthur Moats Experience With Deke Podcast, where he picked Warren as his breakout player in 2024 for Pittsburgh.
"I mean, if you say anything, I'd say Jaylen [Warren], the running back. I'll say this: I think he'll be turning into -- I think he'll turn up a little bit more than how he was."
Garvin got a follow-up question after mentioning Warren, with Arthur Moats' co-host Deke asking if the Pittsburgh alumni predicts that Warren will produce more than Harris in 2024. While Harris is still considered the starting running back for the Steelers, Garvin sees 2024 as the year for Warren to truly establish himself as the guy in Pittsburgh.
"Yeah, I think he does. I think he does because of business and I think he does because of his running back play... I think the business element will allow him the success that you're looking for. To you where you'll be able to say, 'We got the running back we need, and we'll get another to follow him up,' you know?"
The running back position has a fraction of the value it once had, and Harris is an excellent example of that decline. Despite his first-round pedigree and consistent production during his three seasons in the league, Harris is still viewed as a player who never reached the heights expected when he was selected in 2021. The big chunks of salary cap spending are used for quarterbacks, wide receivers, or standout defensive stars, but not in the backfield when there is a cheaper option in Warren.
Along with being the smarter business decision, Warren has shown considerable progress in his short time in the NFL. If he shows another leap forward in 2024 like he did in 2023, the Steelers' choice to move on from Harris would become much simpler. However, if the combination of the two backs proves to be the catalyst, Pittsburgh could have an incredibly difficult choice to make when the 2025 offseason comes around.
%202023%20Camp%20Final%20with%20Logos/2L9A8247-544x306.jpg "Steelers Jaylen Warren")
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Running back Jaylen Warren (#30) stands on the field at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, as the Pittsburgh Steelers practice during the 2023 training camp.
Steelers Could Be Backed Into A Corner
If Harris simply maintains while Warren not only outpaces him, but shows considerable growth along the way, the Steelers would find the transition away from the former first-round pick easier than expected. However, if the mixture of Warren and Harris becomes the foundation for Pittsburgh's 2024 offense and the team makes a deep postseason run, the waters become much muddier. By declining the fifth-year option on Harris's contract, the Steelers made it clear where the financial line was, leaving 2024 as a prove-it season for Harris as well as Warren, albeit in very different fashions.
Associated Press
Running back Najee Harris stiff-arms a Cincinnati Bengals defender during a 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers game.
The Steelers invested heavily in the offensive line during the 2023 and 2024 offseasons, with several high-value draft picks filling out the trenches. As polarizing as the fifth-year choice regarding Harris was, Pittsburgh could end up with an offensive line that can turn any running back into a productive weapon. With standout blockers like Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, the specific player in the backfield might not matter as much as ensuring the cost of doing business doesn't get in the way of success.
Is Warren the future of this team? Where will Harris be playing in 2025? Comment below.
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