No decision on fifth-year option for Steelers RB Najee Harris

Mike Tomlin is playing it very close to the vest about Najee Harris’ fifth-year option.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a pair of players coming up on a very important deadline. Both quarterback Justin Fields and running back Najee Harris both have a May 2 deadline to see if the Steelers will exercise the fifth-year option on either player.

Head coach Mike Tomlin talked about the Harris contract situation when he spoke to the media at the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando and he said the team is still sorting out the particulars of whether or not to give Harris the fifth year.

Harris has been the model of consistency during his three seasons. Harris has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first three years and no matter how the rest of the team has played, he gave 100 percent on every single play and has established himself as a leader on the offense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Steelers GM Omar Khan non-committal on Najee Harris’ fifth-year option

One big decision weighing on the Steelers brass this offseason is whether to exercise Najee Harris’ 2025 fifth-year option. 

One big decision weighing on the Pittsburgh Steelers brass this offseason is whether to exercise Najee Harris‘ 2025 fifth-year option.

Speaking with a scrum of Steelers media from the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager Omar Khan was non-committal on the topic, according to TribLive’s Joe Rutter.

The salary cap dictates the cost of which positions would earn what on their exercised option, and for running backs, it’s $6.79 million. The deadline is May 2.

Harris, who still has one year remaining on his rookie deal, topped 1,000 rushing yards in his first three NFL seasons — all while dealing with injuries, a subpar offensive line and questionable play-calls from ex-offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

What would it cost Steelers to exercise fifth-year option on RB Najee Harris?

Giving Najee Harris his fifth-year option is an easy choice for the Steelers.

The NFL’s salary cap for 2024 is set, and we now know exactly what it’ll cost the Pittsburgh Steelers to exercise Najee Harris’ fifth-year option. The league gave all NFL teams a huge bump in salary cap for the upcoming season as a correction for the whole COVID-19 debacle and the financial situation it put franchises in.

The Steelers need to make a decision on Najee Harris has he enters Year Four and as we’ve said before, this is an easy one. The cost for Harris in 2025 would be $6.79 million, which feels like a bargain given how Harris has started his career.

Harris topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first three NFL seasons and done it while dealing with multiple issues including questionable offensive line and quarterback play along with having Matt Canada as an offensive coordinator.

With the addition of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Harris’ role in the offense could be expanded even further along with teammate Jaylen Warren. Smith proved when he was the OC at the Tennessee Titans he could build an elite rushing attack with the right back and Harris fits the bill.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Steelers 2024 offseason roster – Running back

The Steelers only have 4 running backs on their offseason roster.

One of the main reasons the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in the mix into the playoffs last season was the late-season surge in rushing offense. This was thanks to the two-headed attack of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Beyond them, there isn’t much to get excited about on the depth chart and the team is likely to add a player or two in the offseason. Here are the running backs currently on the roster.

Steelers RBs Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren open up about OC Arthur Smith

Arthur Smith is going to love having Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris on his offense.

Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers found success running the football in the second half of the season. The offensive line started to gel, Matt Canada was gone and the coaches finally figured out the best way to utilize the running back tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

Now the Steelers are looking at a brand new offense with Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator but an offense that has its roots in old-school football. Smith likes to run the football and run play action off of it. Things Harris and Warren are excited about.

“I’m excited,” Warren said. “That’s really all I know about him is that I’ve heard he likes to run the ball. That’s kind of been the identity we’re trying to establish the past couple years, I guess, so I’m excited to see what he brings to the table.”

“I really don’t know about him and what he did in Atlanta,” Harris said. “I know a little bit of when he was in Tennessee with Derrick. Hopefully, he can bring that to the Steelers.”

If you focus on what Smith did in Tennessee, several things stand out. First, Smith ran the entire run game through Derrick Henry. The top two backs in Tennessee in 2020 carried the football 425 times with 378 of those carries going to Henry. Last season, the combo of Harris and Warren carried the football 404 times. So workload won’t be an issue.

The other big thing of note for Harris and Warren is Smith doesn’t use his running backs in the passing game. Henry and Jeremy McNichols only combined for 31 catches in 2020. Harris and Warren combined for 90 catches in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Steelers CB Patrick Peterson: Kenny Pickett will ‘reap the fruits’ of Arthur Smith

Patrick Peterson believes that Kenny Pickett will benefit from new OC Arthur Smith.

A solid run game is easily a developing quarterback’s best friend. And that’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers have in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The two backs, who combined for 1,819 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, will also be best friends with run-loving offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

“I think Kenny Pickett will have the opportunity to really reap the fruits of this labor, having Arthur coming in there, having kind of like the same athletic attributes, a mobile quarterback, a guy who likes to throw the ball on the run, who can throw the ball on the run,” Peterson said on the Feb. 15 episode of All Things Covered.

“But also having a running back and a running committee that’s able to make his game a little bit easier. I’m excited about the hire.”

We only need to look to All-Pro Derrick Henry and two career-best seasons in Tennessee under Smith. In 2019 and 2020, Henry put up a whopping 3,567 yards and 33 touchdowns. There’s no reason to think Harris and Warren combined can’t come close to that in the first two seasons of Smith calling the plays.

Just a fraction of that should increase the chances of success for Pickett, who will undoubtedly be under tremendous pressure to perform at the level of a first-round draftee heading into his third season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Giving Steelers RB Najee Harris his fifth-year option is an easy decision

The Steelers must give Najee Harris his fifth-year option.

One of the big financial decisions the Pittsburgh Steelers need to make this offseason is whether or not to exercise the fifth-year option for running back Najee Harris. This would add an extra year to his current contract and pay him something in the neighborhood of $6.6 million in 2025.

The last time the Steelers had to make such a decision, they opted not to exercise the fifth-year option on linebacker Devin Bush. This, after Bush proved to be a wasted pick for the Steelers and a bust. But for Harris, the decision is an easy one as Harris has continued to improve in each of his three NFL seasons.

Harris has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each season and has evolved in his running style to help keep himself healthy and improve his efficiency running the ball.

The argument against Harris getting the fifth-year option is the existence of Jaylen Warren. We don’t see it that way at all and thanks to the hire of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the need to two great backs becomes even more important.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris could both break out in 2024

The Steelers run game has the potental to be among the best in the NFL next season.

In 2023, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 1,819 rushing yards on 404 carries. After the Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada, Pittsburgh found a renewed energy for running the football.

Now, with the addition of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, there is going to be an even stronger emphasis on the run game. With that comes a scheme that should help Warren and Harris be even better.

In 2020, with Smith running the Tennessee Titans offense, RB Derrick Henry was named Offensive Player of the Year after he rushed for 2,027 yards. There’s reason to believe that Smith will get similar production out of Warren and Harris.

Critics of the hire want to point to this emphasis on the running game as a negative for the passing game. However, look back to that 2020 Titans season. While Henry rushed for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns on 378 carries, quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 3,819 yards and 33 touchdowns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Steelers RB Najee Harris says he wants to be an All Elite Wrestling world champion someday

For The Win caught up with Steelers RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren before the Super Bowl.

Ahead of the 2024 Super Bowl when the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas, For The Win caught up with Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to discuss a wide variety of topics.

Among them included the time Harris was at an All Elite Wrestling event and maybe found his next career. Back in the 2022 offseason, he attended an AEW event in Pittsburgh and was part of professional wrestler Britt Baker’s entrance, along with tight end Pat Freiermuth.

After Baker won her match and was trash-talking, Harris and Freiermuth joined her in the ring, ESPN reported at the time. When Baker was done, Harris grabbed the mic, which organizers quickly turned off before a commercial break.

“That was smart on their part because I was going to say some stuff,” Harris told For The Win this week. “I was gonna say, ‘Y’all gonna see me in one of these things. I’m gonna be world champion one day of AEW.'”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcngP1VrrCX/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=4f89a6ec-432f-48d9-a71e-dfedfd2288e5&img_index=5

Harris and Warren also briefly touched on new Steelers offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who Warren described as the “perfect” fit for Pittsburgh’s offense because he heard Smith likes to run the ball. They also named Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and Atlanta Falcons’ Desmond Ridder as the most unfairly hated quarterbacks in the NFL this year, and they ranked their top running back duos in the league.

Here’s our full interview with Harris and Warren from the 2024 Super Bowl:

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=146952]

Najee Harris wins top ‘angry run’ of year over James Conner

Conner was a finalist for the “angriest run” of the season when he tossed Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson with a mean stiff-arm.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner was a finalist for the top “angry run” of 2023. However, he did not win it. NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt awarded Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris the award and the scepter for the top “angry run” of the 2023 season for his stiff-arm against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.

Conner’s stiff-arm on Pittsburgh Steelers (and former Arizona Cardinals) cornerback Patrick Peterson was a finalist.

Even though Conner did not win the scepter, it was a memorable part of the season in one of only four wins. The Cardinals won that game against the Steelers, thanks in large part to Conner’s big game.

Conner finished 2023 with his first-ever 1,000-yard season.

He averaged a career-high 5.0 yards per carry and finished with 1,040 rushing yards despite missing four games.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.