Under head coach Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most consistent teams in the NFL. They have yet to have a losing season with Tomlin at the helm. The problem is they haven’t had much success recently. They haven’t returned after their Super Bowl win 2009 and appearance in 2011.
The Steelers have been stuck in purgatory. They haven’t been bad, but they aren’t good enough to compete with the heavyweights of the AFC. They will have to look hard at their roster to see where to improve their ceiling. Former Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison thinks there’s one offensive position that the Steelers should improve.
Rodney Harrison’s Plea to the Pittsburgh Steelers
While the Steelers will likely look to improve at QB, among other places, Harrison targeted running back as a position that the Steelers should take a good look at. He wants them to move on from former first-round draft pick Najee Harris this offseason.
“They have to continue to improve the offensive line. I would move on from Najee Harris [at] that running back position and go out and get me a big-time running back,” said Harrison.
Harris is an interesting question for the Steelers. He’s been as durable as a player, starting all 17 games in his four seasons in the NFL. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards in every season for Pittsburgh. He hasn’t been the explosive running back he showed at Alabama, but he’s been a serviceable running back for Pittsburgh. Harris’s return will be discussed heavily among the front office during the offseason.
Potential Options for the Steelers
Harris is an impending free agent this offseason, but the Steelers may not bring him back. Pittsburgh’s backup RB Jaylen Warren has shown flashes for the Steelers, but the question remains if he could replicate Harris’s production.
Harrison wants the Steelers to replace Harris with a big-time running back. The class of free agents at the running back position doesn’t exactly have the big names that Harrison is referring to. Outside of Aaron Jones, Harris might be the biggest name left on the board. Jones is already 30 years old, while Harris is only 26. The Steelers must decide if this makes them better in the future.
An interesting option for the Steelers is Nick Chubb. If he hadn’t suffered such a horrific knee injury in 2023, he would be a top option in this free agent class. In his return to action this season, he didn’t look like the same explosive player from years past in the eight games he appeared in. He could be a high-risk, high-reward signing for the Steelers to ponder.
Finding a trade for one of the best running backs is unlikely. There aren’t any star running backs who are reportedly unhappy with their situations at this current juncture. Fulfilling Harrison’s desire to acquire a big name will likely be difficult for Pittsburgh, and maybe the Steelers’ best option is Harris.
The Steelers must improve to compete with the upper-echelon teams in the NFL. Whether Harris will be one of the positions they decide to upgrade remains to be seen, but the Steelers offense will look different by Week 1 next season.