RB Market Could Have Steelers, Najee Harris at Odds in Near Future

PITTSBURGH — Najee Harris doesn’t have to worry about a new contract just yet, as the Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 first-round pick still has two seasons left on his rookie contact and an option year after that.

But what he’s seeing in regards to his potential earnings when that time comes around is not making him happy.

The NFL is in the midst of a years-long cycle of the devaluing of the running back position, based on historical trends of players at the position not leading long careers.

But the events of this offseason have taken that trend a big step further, as productive, star running backs have been unable to come to terms on new deals at their historic rate.

The New York Giants are deadlocked with Saquon Barkley (1,312 yards in 2022) after using the franchise tag on him. The Minnesota Vikings just released Dalvin Cook (1,173 yards) to avoid paying him $10.4 million in base salary. After leaving the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent, Miles Sanders (1,269 yards) got just $13 million in guaranteed money over four years with the Carolina Panthers.

Ezekiel Elliott (876 yards) hasn’t even found that. He remains a free agent after being cut by the Dallas Cowboys to help minimize an $18.2 million cap hit for 2023. There’s talk he could return to Dallas at a greatly reduced price.

That’s not a lot of money for one of the most productive players at his position over the last few years. The franchise tag value that Barley was tagged for is $10.09 million, the lowest of any position other than specialists. With the current crop of free agents unlikely to cash in above that number, it could decline further by the time Harris hits free agency.

So needless to say, he’s been distress by the current events at his position.

“To see people like that get released, especially in my position, it’s like, damn, what did they do?” Harris said Tuesday after the first practice of Steelers minicamp. “Is it because of their age? You know what I mean? Dalvin Cook is coming off multiple 1,000-yard seasons. What? I don’t know. Is it money from the team? They got to pay somebody? I don’t know. But it’s eye-opening, for sure.”

And it comes while the running game is experience a resurgence around the league. Teams rushed 14,770 times for 65,894 yards and 4.5 yards per carry in 2022 — all increases from 2021. That doesn’t include the receiving prowess of backs that have become bigger and bigger parts of NFL offenses while being devalued.

“It’s almost as if you’re a queen in chess,” Harris said. “You could do a lot of things: Line up out wide, run the ball, protection. You could be implemented in the offense so much. For them to say a position is not as valued, it’s kind of crazy.”