With the sentiment that running backs aren’t worth paying quickly eroding, Najee Harris could cash out upon reaching free agency as his rookie contract expires with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A 2021 first-round pick out of Alabama, Harris has crossed the 1,000-rushing yard plateau in each of his four NFL seasons to date. This past year, he picked up 1,043 yards and six touchdowns on 263 carries while appearing in all 17 games for Pittsburgh.
Since entering the league, the 26-year-old has posted the fifth-most yards in the league with 4,312 on 1,097 attempts, ranking behind only Derrick Henry in the latter category. Additionally, Harris comes in at No. 7 with 180 receptions among players at the position over that same stretch.
This year’s free agency class isn’t nearly as strong as it was last offseason, which featured the likes of Henry, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, though that should play in Harris’ favor.
Based on his calculated market value, Spotrac projects he will net a three-year deal worth $27.499 million, equalling an average annual value (AAV) of $9.166 million.
In terms of total money, such a contract would be the seventh-largest in the league for running backs while the AAV would rank No. 9 under that same criteria.
Spotrac’s comparisons for Harris include Tony Pollard, who came to terms on a three-year pact for $21.75 million with the Tennessee Titans at 26-years-old last March, as well as Jacobs, who netted a four-year contract with the Green Bay Packers worth $48 million at the same age.
Harris was nothing short of a workhorse for Pittsburgh, but despite the fact that it depended on him heavily, there’s been few reports suggesting that the team is eager to re-sign him.
The writing was on the wall once his fifth-year option was declined last offseason, and perhaps the Steelers feel that there’s better ways to allocate their cap space than on a running back with plenty of tread on his tires who’s never been particularly efficient, evidenced by his career mark of 3.9 yards per carry.
Harris should come away with a hefty pay day, but it’s hard to imagine Pittsburgh going above its means by putting forth the highest bid and retaining him.
Instead, the Steelers could look to bring back restricted free agent Jaylen Warren while targeting a prospect in the NFL Draft or another player on the open market to fill out its rotation at the position.
