The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to feature a ground and pound style on offense this upcoming season behind a revamped offensive line and new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith. Smith has notoriously been a run-first play-caller and will do much of the same with Pittsburgh, despite most of the league featuring pass-heavy offenses. Some will say the ground and pound style of offense is outdated and teams can't win with it, but it works if done well. Smith took the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship as the team's play-caller in 2020 with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, so it can work.
The Steelers have two very good running backs on the roster, which is seemingly a good problem to have for Smith. Both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren eclipsed 1,000 total yards last season and complemented each other extremely well. Two good running backs in one backfield that offer different skill sets is great, however Harris' future with the team is a huge question mark. Harris had his fifth-year option declined and will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season if an extension isn't done before the start of the regular season. The Steelers have a rule that they do not negotiate contract extensions during the season.
Not only is Harris' future beyond 2024 in doubt, but there's a small chance he doesn't even wear black and gold this upcoming season. In an article by Bleacher Report, Ryan Fowler posed a hypothetical trade that would send Harris to the New York Giants in exchange for a 2025 sixth round pick and a 2026 fourth round pick.
"Considering the Steelers declined Harris' fifth-year option, a move sooner rather than later would present Pittsburgh with some remanence of a return, even if it's a late-round or compensatory selection."
Trading Harris before the season for two day three draft picks sounds crazy, but for a running back on an expiring contract, that's probably all the Steelers would be able to get in return.
The Steelers' Plan For Najee Harris' Future In Pittsburgh Is Unknown
General Manager Omar Khan has said that the team is open to keeping Harris in black and gold for the foreseeable future, but if Harris hits the open market, he will more than likely suit up for a different team in 2025. Obviously trading away Harris for draft picks doesn't make the Steelers a better team in the present, but if the team is comfortable with Warren becoming the featured back in a ground and pound style offense with little depth behind him, they may pull the trigger on a trade.
The Giants have a huge need at running back after Saquon Barkley signed a multi-year deal with their division rival, Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants' offense was already bad, and now it's worse with the loss of Barkley. It makes a lot of sense for New York to make a deal for a three-time 1,000+ yard rusher like Harris. Especially if they only have to give up day three draft picks to get him.
The Steelers are somewhat in win now mode. The team has a stellar defense with stars like TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cam Heyward, that aren't getting any younger. The offense is still young and they have a quarterback room that some would consider to be rentals, but there isn't a whole lot of time left with this great defense. Trading away Harris before the season would just add to the offense's limitations and put more pressure on Warren to not only perform, but to stay healthy all season. It's hard to say if Khan thinks sacrificing some efficiency on offense is worth a couple of late round draft picks, but it could be better than losing Harris for nothing after the season.
