May 3, 2024 4 min read

By Dale Lolley

For the Observer-Reporter

The Steelers declined this week to pick up the fifth-year option on running back Najee Harris, deciding to roll the dice and see if they can sign him to a long-term contract rather than locking in his 2025 salary at nearly $7 million.

It’s somewhat surprising the Steelers would choose to take the chance that it can’t get a new deal done with Harris, but given the costs of the position, it does make some sense. Heading into the 2024 season, only five running backs carry a salary cap hit of more than $6.8 million. Harris would have been locked in at $6.8 million in 2025 had the Steelers picked up the option.

The Steelers opting to decline the option sent a certain segment of fans into celebration. They, of course, were the group that said teams shouldn’t spend a first-round pick on running backs.

Apparently, they can be found everywhere.

Here’s the thing to remember: In terms of rushing yards, Harris has more than 1,000 yards more than the next closest running back from the 2021 draft, New England’s Rhamondre Stevenson. His 4,135 yards from scrimmage are 200 more than the next closest player from that draft, Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Chase leads the draft class with 29 touchdowns, but Harris is second with 28.

A three-time 1,000-yard rusher, Harris has been worth the 24th pick in the draft, especially considering the Steelers didn’t have any other options when they selected him.

The Steelers will look at how well Harris responds to a new offensive scheme that could be more outside-zone based before committing money to him on the long term.

It’s pretty much the same thing the Ravens did last week with wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who has been a disappointment from that same draft. Instead of picking up Bateman’s option, the Ravens signed him to an extension.

The same could happen with Harris.

• The Steelers nailed the 2024 draft.

How do we know this?

Of their 30 allotted pre-draft visits in the month leading up to the event, five wound up being selected by the Steelers in the draft – offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, center Zach Frazier, linebacker Payton Wilson, guard Mason McCormick and defensive lineman Logan Lee. Another, cornerback Beanie Bishop, was added as an undrafted rookie free agent.

That the Steelers not only identified the players they wanted, but exactly where they might be able to select them so as to have options available each time they picked shows the team had really done its homework heading into the draft.

Not only did the Steelers know what they wanted, they seemed to have a pretty good handle on what other teams were looking to do, as well.

And that allowed the Steelers to decline offers to trade up to get the players they wanted. They trusted the process.

• I believe the Steelers will leave Fautanu at left tackle, where he can open OTAs and training camp competing with incumbent starter Dan Moore.

They don’t often move aside a veteran starter for a rookie with no competition.

The situation at center, however, could be different. The veteran ahead of Frazier at center is Nate Herbig, who has never taken a snap in a game at the position.

Herbig will also likely get first crack at things, but expect Frazier to settle in as the starter pretty quickly.

• I was talking to a longtime Major League Baseball reporter recently and asked him what he thought of former Bethel Park High School and Waynesburg University pitcher Mason Miller.

The night before, Miller had run through the meat of the New York Yankees’ batting order – the team this particular reporter covers – striking out Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto on 103 mph fastballs, then getting Aaron Judge on a 102 mph heater.

The reporter said Miller is the best young arm he’s seen in the majors this season. And this is a reporter who has seen Pirates’ prospect Paul Skenes.

The Oakland A’s selected Miller in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft, making him the 97th player selected.

That means the Pirates, who had the No. 1-overall pick in that draft, selecting catcher Henry Davis, passed on Miller four times. Along with Davis, they picked pitchers Anthony Solometo and Bubba Chandler along with outfielder Lonnie White Jr.

All four of those players are among the Pirates’ top prospects, but Miller has eight saves and a 1.29 ERA this season while striking out 29 batters in 14⅓ innings. And he’s thrown eight of the 10 fastest pitches in baseball this season, averaging 100.7 mph.

Dale Lolley hosts The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.