Dalvin Cook Release Doesn't Help Steelers RB Najee Harris

The NFL is changing, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will likely follow.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers know they have their guy in Najee Harris, and until a change is needed, he'll remain their top dog in the backfield. But the trend of the NFL isn't helping his future, which is approaching faster than you think. 

Harris is set to enter his third season in the NFL, meaning he's halfway through his rookie contract. Meanwhile, the league is starting to change. A once running back-hungry style of football is now leaning towards constant replacement, and bigger stars than the Steelers' are finding themselves without a job. 

Right now, Ezekiel Elliot, Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette are free agents. Dalvin Cook is expected to join them, with the Minnesota Vikings set to release him by the weekend. While they look for new homes, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, two of the top four rushers in the NFL last season, didn't get long-term extensions and remain waiting as they refuse to sign their franchise tags. 

Then, there's Harris. The former first-round pick has started his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons behind some pretty rough offensive lines. But at the same time, he's accumulated 579 touches and averages just 3.9 yards per rush, meaning he's getting hit - A LOT. 

The Steelers won't make a bunch of drama out of a running back situation like the Vikings have, but they will weigh their options when the time comes. Harris is a year away from contract negotiations and hasn't reached the level of Barkley or Jacobs. So, if they aren't getting contracts, who is? 

Pittsburgh also has another runner in Jaylen Warren that they seem to like. The undrafted second-year player is as cheap as they come, and will remain on the roster until after next season as well. 

With the way the NFL is moving, the cheaper option seems to be the favorite, and Warren should be a smaller price tag after working as the backfield for three years. 

They're a ways out, but how the NFL is morphing a year from Harris's contract talks isn't promising. And even with two huge seasons, it's hard to envision how negotiations will go in a league that is devaluing running backs. 

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