As Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is set to hit the open market on Monday, exactly who will pay him, and what does his market look like? Sources told PennLive at the NFL Combine that Harris will likely command somewhere between $8 million to $10 million per year, a strong contract in a running back market that appears to be booming after the years Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry had.
However, what is a fair deal for Harris from an agent’s perspective? Former NFL agent Joel Corry believes Harris should earn a three-year, $30 million deal on the open market. That would take Harris up until he is 30 years old, and give him a solid guaranteed payday.
“Harris had his fourth straight season with 1,000 yards rushing in his four-year NFL career. He is the only player to do so over the last four seasons (2021 through 2024),” Corry wrote. “Harris rushed for 1,043 yards on 263 carries for a 4.0 average with six touchdowns in 2024.”
The Steelers have not shut the door on Harris returning at a reduced price, but it is hard to see the running back landing that type of deal from Pittsburgh in such a deep draft class. On top of that, the team has Jaylen Warren, who is someone they trust and will lean on next year.
Likely, this week, the Steelers' 2021 first-round pick will find a new team and become the lead back there. Some obvious candidates include the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, and Minnesota Vikings, all places that could use the immediate running back help from Harris.
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