8 Post-Draft NFL Trades That Make Too Much Sense to Actually Happen | News, Scores, Highlights, Stat

July 2024 · 2 minute read
CANTON, OHIO - AUGUST 5: Najee Harris #22 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball in the first half during the 2021 NFL preseason Hall of Fame Game against the Dallas Cowboys at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium on August 5, 2021 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Steelers Get: 2025 Conditional Pick

Cowboys Get: RB Najee Harris

OK, not all of these trades involve the Pittsburgh Steelers. But after picking them to win the NFL's toughest division, we need to tighten things up for the Terrible Towel crowd.

And sometimes, that means addition by subtraction.

On one hand, running back Najee Harris has been a consistent performer for the Steelers, eclipsing 1,000 yards on the ground in all three of his professional seasons. On the other, he hasn't lived up to his status as a first-round pick, averaging a pedestrian 3.9 yards per carry for his career.

Pittsburgh recently passed on the 26-year-old's fifth-year option. Per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Harris' trainer, Josh Scott, said that perceived snub is just one more log on the fire of motivation for Harris in this all-important season for his career:

"It's all fueling his fire to have an even better season than last year and prove a lot of people wrong. There's a lot of people that hate on him for whatever reason, but he's been as consistent as you can be. He's durable. I think he's going to continue with that. I mean, contract season, that pretty much speaks for itself."

The Steelers have another running back on the roster who has been consistently more explosive than Harris in third-year pro Jaylen Warren, who averaged north of five yards a carry last year. Veteran acquisition Cordarrelle Patterson could be used to spell Warren.

Simply put, Pittsburgh's offense would be better with Warren as the lead back.

The Dallas Cowboys brought back Ezekiel Elliott in the offseason, but after Tony Pollard's departure, they have a massive question mark in the backfield.

Harris may not be a game-changer, but he's a durable chain-mover. And given the Cowboys' win-now mentality, a conditional pick for Harris (that could escalate based on performance) is a reasonable cost—even if it's just a one-year rental.

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