Steelers RB Najee Harris Addresses Dalvin Cook Release
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have a whole year before they have to worry about a running back contract, but the current trend of the NFL doesn't look promising for a player like Najee Harris.
Harris enters his third NFL season at the age of 25 years old. Meanwhile, Dalvin Cook has sent the running back market into a frenzy after being released at the age of 27, coming off four 1,000-yard seasons and only one year into his four-year contract extension.
Speaking with the media at mini camp, Harris was asked about the evolving trend for the position and didn't hesitate to say it's worrisome.
"Especially when they say that when you turn a certain age, you're out of years. Which is crazy," Harris said. "If you feel like you're able to play still, who is it to say that you can't? They don't know your body or have been in your position, they're just people riding behind the internet. They don't really know how you train. It's just people making assumptions which they know nothing about. So, to see people get released, especially in my position, it's like, what did they do? They're getting injured?
"Dalvin Cook is coming off multiple 1,000-yard seasons. Is it money for the team, they gotta pay somebody? I don't know. It's eye-opening for me."
Harris will be pushing 28 years old when his rookie contract is up, and already has over 600 touches in his NFL career. The former first-round pick has accumulated back-to-back 1,000-yard years himself, but he also understands it may not be enough for another contract.
"I can't stop time. I can't do nothing about that," Harris said. "All I can do is take care of my body and show them that I'm still available. I guess all running backs can do is show them that, the best ability is availability. So, for me, to show that I'm still who I said I was when I first got in, I think that's important. But age, you can't stop that. They just think that when you turn a certain age, it's over with. Which is the craziest thing possible."
Harris said he spends "a lot" of money on his body to lessen the risk of injury and is determined to continue training hard to assure he can extend his NFL career well into his second contract.
He, like other running backs who are dealing with uncertainty in a concerning market, acknowledged it's a tough road ahead but also said he's focused on what he can control.
"It's a matter of how you take care of your body," Harris said. "... I know the best ability is availability. Especially in my position, I take a lot of hits from all different types of people; d-linemen, backers, you're getting hit by the whole team. So, for me to take care of my body is really important, and I think I do a good job of that. That's why when I look at that, it just blows my mind."
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