On Thursday, the deadline arrived for teams to decide on the fifth-year options of their 2021 first-round draft picks. While most teams had already made their choices known in recent days, the Pittsburgh Steelers kept their decision regarding running back Najee Harris under wraps until the afternoon. Multiple reports confirmed that the Steelers had opted not to exercise their option on Harris, who was the 24th overall pick in the draft. This means that he will now be able to test free agency after the upcoming season. If his option had been picked up, Harris would have been guaranteed a salary of $6.79 million for the 2025 season.
Despite being a consistent performer throughout his three seasons with the Steelers, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards each year and scoring 28 touchdowns while playing in every game, Harris will now have to wait and see what opportunities come his way as a free agent. One potential factor in this decision could be the emergence of Jaylen Warren as a more explosive option in the backfield last season. The Steelers may also want to wait and assess how the upcoming 2024 season unfolds before committing to Harris beyond the current season.
