The Pittsburgh Steelers once again fell short in the postseason, losing in the first round of the playoffs, and fans are frustrated. They want heads to roll, calling for the firing of Head Coach Mike Tomlin and suggesting the franchise wipe the slate clean. However, they enter the 2025 offseason with 24 free agents and a lot of big decisions to make at the most significant positions. They must secure a quarterback and will likely choose between keeping Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, who both played in 2024 on a one-year contract. They must also find offensive talent, including at least one wide receiver and likely a running back, to replace Najee Harris.
Harris was the Steelers' first-round draft pick in 2021. A standout at the University of Alabama, Harris was instrumental in two of their College Football National Championships. While fans were less than thrilled that Pittsburgh chose a running back with that pick, he showed promise. Despite having 1,000+ yards in each of his first three seasons, the team declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract during the 2024 season. Now that the season has ended, with Harris picking up another 1,043 yards, he is a free agent.
Recently, former Steelers quarterback turned analyst Charlie Batch was asked about Harris and if he believes they should bring him back in 2025. Batch said the team made their position clear but believes Harris' performance was impacted by the lack of leadership on the offense.
"You already saw where the Steelers stand; they declined his fifth-year option," said Batch. "But when you look at Najee, yes, he's had really good years since he's been here, every year's been over 1,000 yards. He was a captain in year two, but wasn't voted a captain in years three and four, so that speaks volumes from that perspective. When you look at the quarterback position just from Najee's standpoint, he's had eight quarterbacks since he's been here. So there's been no stability when you look at where he's at. So we've been looking for that leader. We were spoiled with Ben Roethlisberger, he was here for 18 years. We're not gonna have that based on where we're at, and I think when you look at the culture of where the Steelers are, the standard is not the standard because we don't build through the draft anymore."
Batch said that the Steelers have missed on several first-round draft picks over the past several years. Many of those players have failed because the team did not have the leadership to ensure the offense would gel. For example, they attempted to find Ben Roethlisberger's replacement when they drafted Kenny Pickett with their first-round selection in 2022. That pick missed because Pickett was not ready to lead a team, and the veteran structure wasn't in place to support him.
The team should currently be discussing whether or not to offer Pickett his fifth-year extension, not worrying about who will be under center next season. Batch said that every time a team doesn't hit a home run on a first-round pick, it sets them back several years. If they are choosing to move on from Harris already, he would have only cost the team about $6.7 million for 2025.
Steelers' Najee Harris Is Endorsed By Teammate
While some of the fans believe the team should move on from Harris, others feel the constant upheaval in the offense has impacted his performance. Harris has dealt with multiple offensive coordinators as well as quarterbacks. The offensive line has struggled with injuries and finding their footing.
Harris' teammate Pat Freiermuth told the media that he wants to see him back in Pittsburgh in 2025. He said they worked their hardest to make the city proud and bring home playoff wins. They understand they were not able to get it done, but Freiermuth hopes that Harris will be back to try again next season.
