Harris reportedly wants to play elsewhere
3:35 p.m. ET update: Najee Harris’ agent has taken to social media to deny reports that he requested the Pittsburgh Steelers to decline his fifth-year option.
The Pittsburgh Steelers shocked fans, and the NFL landscape when they decided to decline the fifth-year option of running back Najee Harris last week. Harris had shown the ability to stay on the field, not missing a game in three years, and rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.
However, it may not have been the Steelers that were disinterested in Harris. Rather, it may be that the former first-round pick wants to explore other ventures after this season.
According to Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Harris asked the Steelers to decline his fifth-year option, as he would like to play elsewhere once his contract is up.
“A little birdie said Najee Harris actually asked for the Steelers to decline his fifth-year option because he would like to play somewhere else,” Zeise said on The Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh.
Zeise said that the person who gave him that bit of information was the same person who told him the Steelers would be trading for quarterback Justin Fields.
If Harris really wants to play elsewhere, you have to wonder if Pittsburgh would explore the possibility of trading him as part of a package for a receiver. However, that would only create a hole at running back, leaving Jaylen Warren as the only proven talent at the position. Regardless, this will be a situation to monitor for the next calendar year.
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