Last week the Pittsburgh Steelers declined the fifth-year option of running back Najee Harris. This means Harris heads into his 2024 season playing out the final year of his rookie contract with no assurances about his future with the Steelers.
There have been some rumblings that the Steelers might consider trading Harris and handing over the feature-back role to Jaylen Warren. Truth be told, this could happen even if Harris isn’t traded.
Harris is the only running back in the NFL to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last three seasons and has been consistent and dependable.
Should Pittsburgh trade Harris away before the start of the season? It isn’t clear what the team’s plan is but the front office declining that fifth-year option might be simply a formality ahead of a new contract. We don’t like the idea of trading Harris away but if the team has no intention of re-signing him, it might be the only opportunity to get any value in return.
