Najee Harris free agency update: Critical news emerges on Steelers RB future per report

According to Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live, the Pittsburgh Steelers do not plan on re-signing Najee Harris this offseason. Harris is a former first-round pick but will see his time in Pittsburgh end after four years.

Pittsburgh was given the option of picking up a fifth-year option for Harris this time last year but decided against the idea. Despite surpassing the 1,000-yard mark every season, Harris did not have the kind of production one might hope of a running back selected in the first round.

“I was disappointed for a minute, but I mean like, there’s nothing really where, you know, me sitting around being disappointed for too long would do anything to help me out,” Harris said of his fifth-year option not being picked up. “… I think that it is what it is. And you just got to keep it pushing and knowing that coming out here and doing what’s best for the team and having a good year is what’s most important right now. … Yeah, I was (disappointed) for a minute, like a couple of days, and it just went past my mind so fast.”

Harris will leave the Steelers with 1,097 attempts to his name for 4,312 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and 28 touchdowns.

Pittsburgh put a lot more faith into Jaylen Warren over the years too, hoping to form a one-two punch. Warren rushed for 511 yards and a touchdown during the 2024 season on 120 carries. However, a decision on Warren’s future is coming too. He is a restricted free agent and the Steelers might be more interested in bringing him back for the 2025 season.

ESPN analyst discusses Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback situation

With Justin Fields and Russell Wilson both set to become free agents this offseason unless they reach a new deal with the Steelers, fans are questioning who will be the team’s QB next season. On Monday’s episode of Get Up, ESPN’s Dan Graziano weighed in on the pressing question.

“They’ve been talking to both of them,” Graziano said. “The odds are they re-sign one of them. There are people in that building that really like working with Justin Fields. There are people in that building who think Russell Wilson gives you a better chance to win now.

“I would say at this point, while you can’t rule out an off-the-board option like an Aaron Rodgers there, it seems more likely it’ll be one of the two guys they had last year.”

On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report