Top Free Agent Landing Spots For RB Najee Harris

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Times have been tough recently for former Steelers first-round RB Najee Harris . After five years in Pittsburgh, Harris left ahead of the 2025 season, hoping to find the long-term deal in free agency that had eluded him with the Steelers. Instead, it was a cold market for veteran running backs. Harris ended up taking a one-year deal from the Chargers for a little over $5 million — and it was actually the second-best deal signed by a free agent back in 2025, ahead of Javonte Williams , J.K. Dobbins , Rico Dowdle and others who signed “prove-it” contracts. Harris didn’t get the chance to make his case for a bigger deal like those other players, most of whom got big raises this offseason. He was snakebitten with injuries in 2025. First there was a freak fireworks accident in July that left him with an eye injury that sidelined him deep into training camp. Then, Harris tore his Achilles in Week 3 on a normal handoff before he even got the ball, ending his season before it had hardly begun. Historically, Achilles injuries have been a death knell for running backs. The recovery timeline is shorter than an ACL injury, but return to performance is far more challenging, especially for backs who are so reliant on explosiveness and short area quickness. In fact, up until very recently an Achilles injury was considered a career-ender for RBs. Human medicine is always improving, though, and in the last few years the league has started to see some more positive outcomes. Ravens RB Justice Hill missed the entire 2021 season with the injury, but has carved out a role as the team’s third-down back since returning. Cam Akers and D’Onta Foreman managed to hang around the league for a while after tearing their Achilles, though neither was able to sustain anything beyond flashes. Dobbins tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season, then had a career year the following season and was solid again in 2025 with the Broncos, earning an extension. He’s definitely not as explosive as he was coming out of Ohio State but at this point, he’s the gold standard for running backs coming back from Achilles injuries. Harris’ road back will be more challenging because he’s a much bigger player (listed at 6-1 and over 240 pounds), which makes it harder to return to prior explosiveness. Teams will be keeping tabs on his rehab, which is probably the biggest reason he hasn’t linked up with a team yet. Both the Seahawks and Raiders had Harris in for free agent visits at the end of March to monitor his recovery, but both teams ended up spending notable draft capital on backs in a draft class that was shockingly weak at the position. Most teams are fairly crowded at running back, so it’s hard to find many clean fits for Harris right now. However, attrition will inevitably grind down the depth once training camp and the preseason start up, which will clarify Harris’ options. While he wasn’t explosive even before the Achilles injury, Harris does have a three-down skillset and that will broaden the number of situations he could fit into. Harris, 28, was a two-year starter at Alabama and was a first-team All-American and a Doak Walker Award winner as a senior. The Steelers took Harris with pick No. 24 in the 2021 draft. Harris signed a four-year, $13,047,447 with the Steelers that includes a $6,849,053 signing bonus. The Steelers declined his fifth-year option for 2025, which would’ve cost them $6.79 million fully guaranteed, and set him up to be an unrestricted free agent in 202…