Although Najee Harris is expected to be a free agency this season, it came as a slight surprise when the Pittsburgh Steelers rejected his fifth-year option in May.
Why, then, did the team initially reject his option? According to Harris, it was because of the offense’s unpredictability under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Let me ponder. That’s right—they had no idea where the offence was going. That concluded it, said Harris.
Although Harris would prefer to stay with the Steelers, he mentioned that they have not yet negotiated a new contract extension. He was initially saddened when the team declined his option, but that feeling subsided a few days later when he accepted the truth of his circumstances.
“I was disappointed for a moment, but there’s really nothing that could really help me out if I just sat around being disappointed for too long,” Harris remarked. You just have to keep going and remember that the most important thing right now is to come out here and do what’s best for the team and have a good year. You know, I believe that’s what it is. I mean, sure, I was there for a little while—a few days, maybe—but everything flew from my memory really quickly.
Smith, who has a history of using running backs like Harris, should make Harris a major focal point of his offence. Given Smith’s background as a playcaller, players like Derrick Henry come to mind. The team is still willing to do business with Harris, but it will depend on how he collaborates with Smith. But the cost and curiosity about the offense’s potential outcomes have to coincide.
However, there’s no assurance that the team will extend Harris’ contract, particularly given that Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson signed a $9 million contract. That will be the starting point for whatever new contract Harris signs, but the Steelers are unlikely to match given that his fifth-year option is little under $7 million.
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