NFL Analyst Suggests Wild Steelers RB Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers could move on from one of their runners now.

Dec 31, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the final year of both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren's contracts, and with plenty of uncertainty at the running back position moving forward, one NFL writer is making the case for an offseason trade.

Bleacher Report's Ryan Folwer has proposed a trade for the Steelers, allowing them to move from one of their runners before the season. That runner is Harris, who the Steelers elected not to pick up his fifth-year option. So, it's believed that they would like to look elsewhere for a running mate alongside Warren in 2025 - and Bleacher Report believes they can move on early with a trade.

The suggested trade sends Harris to the New York Giants in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick and a 2026 fourth-round draft pick. This allows the Giants to replace Devin Singletary and gives the Steelers draft capital without letting Harris move on for nothing.

"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," Fowler writes.

"Optimism remains for Harris as known running back guru Arthur Smith enters his first season as Pittsburgh's OC. But with Warren's consistent annual uptick in production and the teams comfortability with not picking up Harris' option, tea leaves have begun to spawn towards Harris' departure."

While trading Harris could make sense if the Steelers felt confident in Corrdarrelle Patterson, the exchange with the Giants is too little to conisider. Pittsburgh is in win-now mode and will rely heavily on Harris to carry their offense under new coordinator Arthur Smith.

Harris has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and has proven to be the perfect one-two punch with Warren. The two running backs will be the main feature of the new offensive system, so while moving on from Harris could make sense in some cases, a sixth-round pick isn't one of them.

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