Steelers’ Najee Harris is asked to continue the trend by Saquon Barkley.
The Pittsburgh Steelers runner, in Saquon Barkley’s opinion, is the team’s next significant addition.
Pittsburgh The decision of whether or not to pick up Najee Harris’s fifth-year option rests with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In response to a question regarding it, general manager Omar Khan stated that the team will use all of the time allotted until the May 2 deadline to make the decision. Should they decide not to pick it up, the running back will become a free agency in the upcoming offseason.
The running back market was contracting until this summer. It seemed like the position was losing value, even in their best players, as big names like Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley were being franchised tagged.
Barkley assisted with the transfer this summer by agreeing to a $37.75 million, three-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He now hopes that the running backs that come after him will maintain the rising trajectory.
“You want to get to a second contract, that’s your goal,” Barkley stated on the New Heights Podcast. “I feel like you guys, Bijan, Jahmyr, and Najee, go beat me where I am right now. I’m a competitor who wants to win this year. Given my current circumstances, I want to be the best running back. There are no doubts about it. But let’s challenge one another. Let’s all take the wheel.”
After being selected 24th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Harris, 26, has started his career with three straight seasons of 1,000 yards or more. He was also chosen to the Pro Bowl and has quickly made a mark for the Steelers.
Najee has undoubtedly been reliable ever since he joined our team. At the NFL Meetings, head coach Mike Tomlin stated, “I believe I saw a statistic about his 3000-yard season, being in rare company, and I just think that illustrates how he’s been for us.”
The Steelers have the opportunity to extend Harris if they decide not to pick up his fifth-year option. However, it’s unclear if they will consider him a long-term player for them, given the rise of Jaylen Warren and the running back position.
