Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris might risk losing his starting position with the Los Angeles Chargers after they selected Omarion Hampton in the first round.
The Steelers were expected to receive a compensatory pick due to Harris leaving, but with Hampton now acquired, that situation might also shift.
Harris, who signed a $5.25 million contract that could exceed $9 million with incentives, is unlikely to hit many of those benchmarks with Hampton now part of the rotation, potentially decreasing the compensatory pick value or eliminating it entirely.
Harris is designated as the starter, but Hampton, being a first-round draft selection, will swiftly challenge his position as the primary running back.
The Steelers selected Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft from Alabama; he rushed for more than 1000 yards in each of his first four seasons, making him one of just 14 running backs in NFL history to achieve this. Additionally, Harris never sat out a game throughout his whole career.
The Steelers opted not to exercise Harris’ fifth-year option, which would have provided him almost $7 million last offseason, referencing an unclear schematic compatibility between Harris and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system. That became a reality, as Harris’ performance dropped in the intense outside zone scheme after excelling in a dense gap scheme in 2023.