NFL teams looking to bolster their running back room ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline will want to keep an eye on Pittsburgh Steelers star Najee Harris.
There aren’t any indicators that the Steelers are looking to move out Najee Harris, but there’s good reason to believe that GM Omar Khan would be open to trading his top running back for the right price.
The Steelers declined the fifth-year option on Harris’ rookie deal in the offseason, making 2024 his contract year. And with RB2 Jaylen Warren coming off a career year, the Steelers can afford to trade their 2021 first-round pick without missing a beat on offense.
The 26-year-old Najee Harris has exceeded 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first three NFL seasons, and he’s on pace to hit that mark again with 139 yards through Pittsburgh’s first two games.
One team that stands out as an ideal landing spot for Harris is the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Andy Reid’s group could use help at the position after losing star running back Isiah Pacheco for six to eight weeks with a fractured Fibula.
Incredibly, the Chiefs haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Kareem Hunt’s rookie season in 2017. Obviously, Patrick Mahomes has gotten by just fine without a star-level running back, but imagine how much more explosive this offense could be with a Pro Bowler like Najee Harris.
What Chiefs Should Offer Steelers For Najee Harris
Running backs don’t score much in trades these days, and Harris’ status as a pending free agent only decreases his value on the market.
That said, a fair price for Najee Harris would be a 2025 fourth-round pick and fellow running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The 2020 first-round pick has become an afterthought in Kansas City’s backfield, but the two-time Super Bowl champion might hit his ceiling in a rush-heavy offensive system like Arthur Smith’s in Steel City.
Few teams draft better in the mid-to-late rounds than Pittsburgh, so a fourth-round pick and a young RB with upside to complement Warren would be a fair return for Harris.
