Steelers GM Omar Khan won't close the door on the return of Pro Bowler while also admitting they're looking for his replacement
You would think that if a player sets a record for the first time since a future Hall of Famer did it, a team would keep him around. You would think if said player never missed a game in his career you would also keep him around. Yet, for the Pittsburgh Steelers, RB Najee Harris […]
You would think that if a player sets a record for the first time since a future Hall of Famer did it, a team would keep him around.
You would think if said player never missed a game in his career you would also keep him around.
Yet, for the Pittsburgh Steelers, RB Najee Harris has been on the outside looking in as far as his future, though GM Omar Khan says don't count him out just yet.
Steelers exploring all options at RB
"It's a good running back class for sure. It's an exciting group, said Omar Khan on Tuesday at the NFL Combine. "We haven't closed the door on Najee. You know, have had conversations with Doug Henderson, his representative, so, you know, all options are on the table."
One of those options is Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently mocked Jeanty to the Steelers at 21, and it might not be such a far-fetched idea when you see that Pittsburgh has plans to formally meet with Jeanty in Indianapolis…
The only sure bet in the RB room seems to be Jaylen Warren. A restricted free agent this offseason, losing both Warren and Harris would be a problem for Pittsburgh, but it seems they have skirted or will be skirting any such issue…
"I'm confident we're gonna, you know, tender him [Jaylen Warren] and be in a position where Jaylen's gonna be here," added Khan.
Many believe the Steelers need to pivot off Harris due to a lack of explosion. His career average for yards per carry is merely 3.9 and the offense seldom sees home run gains out of the RB position unless it's from Jaylen Warren, and that has some wondering if now is time for a split.
"They [Steelers] just need a major infusion of team speed on offense. They’re just not fast enough. Najee Harris, I know he’s a fan favorite because he’s tough, falls forward, and he’s physical,” Daniel Jeremiah said on the Shek Show with Dave Dameshek. “He’s got no juice. If you’re going to be a team reliant on the run game, you’ve got to be able to pop some explosive runs. That’s not 10-15 yards, that’s 50 or 60 yards.”
So Harris could be back, or a new name could emerge as the bell-cow for the Steelers in 2025. Time will tell which direction the team goes, but for now it seems all options truly are on the table.
