Pittsburgh Steelers fans were treated to back-to-back games of former offensive starters taking the field for their new teams. We saw George Pickens make his unceremonious debut for Dallas on Thursday and Najee Harris play for the Chargers on Friday.
Both players were once considered the future of the Steelers offense. Neither looked particularly impressive in their debut.
Harris had a tumultuous offseason, to say the least. From his initial contract announcement to the draft to his weird offseason injury, Harris went from a starting bell-cow running back to a mediocre second-string player in Los Angeles.
The Pittsburgh Steelers know what the Los Angeles Chargers just learned about Najee Harris
Harris was brought in as a first-round pick with the hopes of him becoming a top back in the league. While statistically productive, he was never a truly elite running back. For a first-round pick, he was a disappointment, to say the least.
The Steelers, thankfully, figured this out sooner than later. Controversially, they decided to decline his fifth-year option. After his rookie deal wrapped up, Pittsburgh let him enter free agency with little to no effort to bring him back.
It seemed like the league viewed Harris differently. He signed a one-year deal that was initially reported at around 9.25 million dollars, a very healthy amount for a running back. That was quickly rectified as a 5.25 million dollar deal worth up to 9.25 million, a notable difference.
As a point of reference, Jaylen Warren is getting paid more on his new deal than Harris is getting on his contract.
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He still seemed like a good fit to be the Chargers' starter for the year, but that idea quickly evaporated once they drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round. At best, Harris was going to be in another split backfield.
Then, his eye injury from a fireworks accident sidelined him for the entire offseason. Hampton securely won the starting job, and the only question was how much playing time Harris would get.
It was apparent right away that Hampton is the true top back and Harris is the backup. It seems clear why: Hampton has burst and breakaway speed. Harris has always been a plodder. The Chargers wanted a big play threat in the backfield. That isn’t Harris.
He ended up playing just 12 snaps and had one rush for five yards and a single reception for five yards. Will Harris get more looks moving forward? Of course. The Chargers want to rely on the run, but they game planned for a more fast-paced approach against the Chiefs. That said, Hampton will get his fill first before Harris gets his shot as a backup.
While Harris had his fans until the moment he signed elsewhere, most realized the ugly truth by the end of last year. While not a bad player, Harris isn’t anything more than an average player.
The Chargers just learned that ugly truth after their first game. They have relief knowing that they have options beyond Harris for this season.