The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most surprising teams in the NFL this season, as Mike Tomlin’s squad is 8-3 and atop the AFC North through 12 weeks. After a 24-19 defeat to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, Pittsburgh will look to get back in the win column in Week 13 versus the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
One of the primary reasons for the Steelers’ success in 2024 has been the play of the offense. Though Arthur Smith’s unit has struggled over the last two games, the group has found an identity centered around running back Najee Harris and the rushing attack. Harris is having another solid campaign in 2024, totaling 944 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.
The former Alabama standout is the engine of Pittsburgh’s offense and is setting himself up for a lucrative payday in free agency this offseason. The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option worth $6.79 million in May, setting the stage for the 26-year-old to hit unrestricted free agency in 2025.
Though the Steelers could look to re-sign Harris, the 2021 No.24 overall pick will have a competitive market. A plethora of teams will be interested in Harris’ services, but during an appearance on the Joe Starkey Show on 93.7 The Fan, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko stated that he believes the Las Vegas Raiders will be a team to look out for in the Najee Harris sweepstakes in the spring.
“I think he (Harris), too, wouldn’t mind a fresh start,” Batko said. “The team that I mentioned in my chat the other day when someone asked about him was the Las Vegas Raiders. We all know Marshawn Lynch was his mentor, another Oakland guy. They still have the same agent and stuff like that. They’ll be in the position, I think, to draft a rookie and probably pay a running back. So I think that would be pretty cool if Najee ends up in Vegas next year, I just don’t see him back here.”
The Raiders would be an intriguing landing spot for Harris, as Las Vegas has one of the worst running back rooms in the NFL and desperately needs a dynamic playmaker at the position. The Raiders will likely select a quarterback in the draft, and providing their presumed young signal-caller with a potent rushing attack would be a logical move from the franchise. Harris isn’t an elite player but is a physical, downhill runner who has never missed a game.
The Steelers would love to have Harris back, but the team has an adequate replacement for the 2021 Pro Bowler in Jaylen Warren. Pittsburgh could also look to use a Day 2 or Day 3 pick on a running back, so they have a ton of options at their disposal to replace Harris if the two-time National Champion departs the Steel City in the offseason.
