The Pittsburgh Steelers have been the center of attention recently as they have been one of the first teams to be mentioned anytime a veteran quarterback is brought up in terms of potentially being on a new team in 2025. There is no doubt that the decision Omar Khan, Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith make at quarterback is likely going to be the one with the biggest impact in the 2025 offseason, but that doesn't mean the team should just go with comfortable options elsewhere.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan speaking on the sidelines inside Acrisure Stadium
One player that Steeler Nation seems to be a bit split on whether or not the Steelers should keep them in their future plans is running back Najee Harris. Harris, on paper, had one of the most consistent and successful starts to a career of any running back by running for 1,000 yards each of his first four seasons in the NFL.
However, watching the film tells a more mixed story compared to the stat sheet. Harris, at times, has looked like a dominant, physical presence with the ability to take over the game. At other times, he has looked slow when recognizing running lanes and lacked the explosiveness to make a larger impact.
With that being said, Harris' best attribute has definitely been his availability as he has yet to miss a regular season game in his NFL career despite consistently handling a heavy workload. The ability to always suit up is likely valued more by the coaches than others around the league, but some still think Harris deserves a solid payday.
Stephanie Scarbrough / AP
Steelers Russell Wilson and Najee Harris following Playoff loss.
Recently, some have speculated that Harris will receive a multi-year deal that has a higher annual salary than what the fifth-year option would have paid Harris in 2025, which likely would have came in slightly under $7 million. If Harris were to stay in Pittsburgh on a deal like that many fans would be irate, more so due to the fact that the Steelers ended up paying more than they would have if they didn't decline the fifth-year option.
During a short appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Ray Fittipaldo was asked about a potential contract for Harris that was suggested. In this case, it was a three-year, $18 million deal that would keep him in Pittsburgh through his age 29 season. Needless to say, Fittipaldo isn't a huge fan of the idea.
"No I don't. I'd probably rip them if that happened." Fittipaldo said on offering Harris a significant contract. "It is such a good running back class guys that, if you want to go with Jaylen Warren and a rookie for one year, you'll probably be at least as good as you were last year. There are all kinds of running backs. You have the two guys from Ohio State, second or third rounders. You got Caleb Johnson from Iowa, you got Devin Neal from Kansas. I'm not even mentioning Ashton Jeanty... "
Fittipaldo's comments would likely be supported by most fans, as well as many media members around the league. This NFL Draft class definitely is one of the better in recent memory from top to bottom for the running back position, and there is a wide variety of skillsets that the Steelers should be able to add whatever the desire is come April.
Regardless of which route they go, there is no doubt the run game needs to be better in 2025 for the Steelers as the way Smith runs his offense heavily relies on a good ground game. Whether it is better running back play, better offensive line play, or both, the Steelers can't overlook this area despite the quarterback position being a bigger need.
Steelers Should Target One Running Back Prospect That Checks A Lot Of Boxes
Should the Steelers decide not to re-sign Harris and go the route of selecting a running back in the upcoming NFL Draft, one prospect that will likely catches their eye is TreVeyon Henderson out of Ohio State. Henderson had a very good career in Columbus totally over 4,600 total yards and 48 touchdowns in his four seasons, which he bookended with tremendous freshman and senior campaigns.
USA Today
Buckeyes' TreVeyon Henderson runs away from Texas during a college football playoff game in 2024.
While the stats are great, there are two main attributes that the Steelers brass will likely fall in love with are his ability to hang onto the football (he hasn't fumbled in his last two seasons) as well as being an elite pass protector. These are two attributes that all teams will love, but definitely two that the Steelers put heavy emphasis on. These traits are besides the fact he is likely going to test as one of the fastest running backs in the draft, that can be a stand alone selling point.
Do you think the Steelers should re-sign Najee Harris? Should they just focus on the draft? Let us know in the comments below.
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