According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, running back Najee Harris may be leaving the Steelers after 2024 season. The Steelers will not pick up Harris’ fifth-year option, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The decision surprised many Steelers reporters and writers.
“A miscalculation in my option,” wrote Christopher Carter on X.
Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora and The Score’s Daniel Valente discussed why they both perceived the choice as a blunder.
“I get that Najee Harris isn’t a big play runner (he never has been) but I don’t know what more he could’ve done to get his option picked up,” he wrote.
“Didn’t expect this from Pittsburgh.”
“I get RBs are fungible but Najee’s 5th-year option for 2025 would have put his average value in between Aaron Jones ($7M) & Miles Sanders ($6.3M) in 2024,” Valente stated in an email.
“For a guy who has been a consistent bellcow & who the Steelers have spoken about as a leader, this is unexpected.”
Harris carried for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 381 touches and qualified for the Pro Bowl with 1,200 running yards and seven touchdowns. He also has 1,667 yards from scrimmage in 2021.
Harris rushed for 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He averaged 4.1 yards per rush, a career high, and added 29 receptions for 170 yards.
Harris has scored at least 8 touchdowns in each of his three NFL seasons.
In the final year of his rookie contract, Harris’ base salary will be around $2.4 million. Harris’ fifth-year option would have earned him $6.79 million.
Steelers decline fifth-year option for RB Najee Harris
The Steelers highlighted May 2 on their offseason calendar because it was the deadline to pick up Harris’ fifth-year option. While Pittsburgh had an interesting decision at the deadline, the team was expected to accept the running back’s option.
Instead, Dulac said that the Steelers want to observe how Harris performs in the team’s new scheme before extending him another contract.
Valente understood the report in a slightly different way.
“Translation: Steelers are not going to pay him next year & might use the franchise tag if he has a monster year,” he added.
Given the recent trend in the NFL, it’s hardly shocking that a running back isn’t paid. But Harris’ fifth-year option was relatively inexpensive when compared to other running backs in the NFL.
Based on 2024 average yearly wages, Harris’ fifth-year option would place him 11th among all running backs.
Jaylen Warren, the previously undrafted free agent below Harris on the depth chart, has evolved as a formidable running back. Warren rushed for 784 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry.
He’s averaging 5.1 yards per rush in his career, while Harris has 3.9 yards per carry. Warren could have influenced Pittsburgh’s decision to refuse Harris’ option.
Steelers also decline QB Justin Fields’ fifth-year option.
Unsurprisingly, the Steelers also declined to pick up quarterback Justin Fields’ fifth-year option. That was expected given that the extra year of Fields’ rookie contract was set to pay him $25.6 million.
Fields will likewise be an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 season.
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