TRADE ALERT: The Steelers have two QB signed to their roster next year.
The end of free agency is approaching, and the Steelers will need to make some decisions as the summer progresses.
Players selected in the 2021 draft have until May 2nd to decide what to do with their fifth-year options. After acquiring Justin Fields in a deal with the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh now needs to decide what to do with Fields and Najee Harris.
Fields, the eleventh pick in the draft, came first. If the team were to exercise his fifth-year option, it would come at a significant cost—just over $25.6 million. Pro Football Focus’s Brad Spielberger made a prediction on whether or not each option will be chosen. In Fields’ fifth season, he had the Steelers not use his option.
“Fields can potentially supplant Russell Wilson as the starter in 2024, after which Pittsburgh may be able to sign him to something of a bridge-type deal, franchise-tag him or extend him to a major contract.” Spielberger wrote. “That outcome is more expensive than the option — potentially exponentially so — but it’s worth avoiding the downside risk of exercising the option and things not panning out quite as well.”
The Steelers have no quarterbacks signed to their roster beyond next year. There’s certainly a chance that Fields impresses enough that the team is interested in keeping him around as a potential starter in 2025.
But to make that call now, with the price tag being as high as it is, would be irresponsible. Worst-case, as Spielberger said, if Fields ends up dominating next year, they can give him the franchise tag.
The more interesting option is that of Najee Harris, who would be due $6.79 million if they were to pick up his 5th year. Spielberger does have them exercising this one.
“Harris is a solid all-around player who can block for the team’s new quarterback duo, catch the ball out of the backfield with confident hands and run very hard between the tackles.” Spielberger noted. “How he fits with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith remains to be seen, and he should cede more and more snaps to Jaylen Warren going forward, but not so much so to make declining the fifth-year option the move here for Pittsburgh.”
If you had asked most fans partway through last season, there likely wouldn’t have been a lot of clamoring for Harris’ option to be picked up. Jaylen Warren was stealing more and more of his slaps and was looking much more explosive than Harris.
But over the back half of the season, Harris proved why the Steelers spent a first-round draft pick on him, running for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in the team’s final three games, all Steeler wins.
It’s likely Pittsburgh at least picks up his option here, as it’s a fairly cheap price tag, especially when compared to all of the big contracts running backs got in free agency this season. He should have at least two more years of being a productive NFL running back.