The Pittsburgh Steelers hope to establish themselves as a running team with Nagie Harris and Jalen Warren. During the 2024 season, they were able to achieve volume rather than production. Despite making a rushing attempt at fourth, they finished outside the top 10 in the yard. Additionally, they rushed to finish outside the top half with a touchdown, finishing in the lower quartile of the yards with every attempt.
Both Steelers’ top runners are free agents, and Najee Harris is unlimited. Warren is just a restricted free agent, but it still means money. Tagging him without compensation options costs him over $3 million. If draft pick compensation protection is required, it costs more than $5 million. With deep running backdraft classes approaching, what should the Steelers do?
“You don’t want to limit yourself because you signed Najee Harris,” Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo said of plans for the Steelers’ position. North Shore Drive Podcast on wednesday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pv_xphjxs
Harris is expected to be one of the top veteran running backs available, but it’s a somewhat less noticeable group. For players like him, the next rookie can work to keep his price tag down. But rather than defeating the price, Harris may sacrifice the length of his contract to stay with the Steelers. If they don’t want to take a full cap hit now, they can always use invalid years.
However, Fittipaldo claims that Najee Harris, who will be signed by the Steelers in 2025, is the same player he has seen in the past four. “It’s not going to get better. He’s him. He’s a runner between tackles and isn’t very effective on those pitches and doesn’t break big plays.” Still, he’s back to a modest deal. I’m not opposed to that.
“But that won’t stop me from drafting my run in the second, third or fourth round,” he continued. Caliber will go with Jaylen Warren, who is probably the third round, but perhaps the fourth or fifth round. This is a loaded class.
“If you’re a GM who has this draft class and you’re going to have something to do in the middle round, I’ll take him with you. I don’t care if you sign Najee Harris or not,” with Mike Tomlin. The Steelers follow that strategy and re-sign Harris, but remain open to all the other options?
One thing to consider is that limited free agent bidding is not guaranteed. If the Steelers re-signed Najee Harris and drafted, say, a running back for the first round, they could have gotten out of Jaylen Warren’s deal. That was what the Steelers did with Jonathan Dwyer in 2013, releasing him with a restricted bid before the season. But what Fittipaldo is leaving them not saying if it comes to Warren and Harris is that they sign Harris, hitch themselves into his wagon and get involved in his contract. That means you might want it.
