Key Takeaways:
– NFL Network’s Jane Slater debunks rumors of a potential trade involving Najee Harris to the Dallas Cowboys.
– The Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to decline Harris’ fifth-year option triggered speculation regarding his future with the team.
– Despite declining the option, the Steelers are not completely ruling out a new deal for Harris post the 2024 season.
– The Dallas Cowboys have reinforced their running back options this offseason, casting further doubt on these rumors.
The Najee Harris Trade Speculation
Ever since the Pittsburgh Steelers declined the fifth-year option for their running back, Najee Harris, speculation has begun to swirl in the NFL orbit. A sudden surge of rumors hinted at the possibility of Harris being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. However, NFL Network’s Jane Slater, citing a source from the Cowboys, put an abrupt halt to these rumors on May 6. She tweeted that the Harris-Cowboys trade rumor was merely ‘click bait.’
The Signing of Ezekiel Elliott by the Cowboys
Complicating the narrative further, the Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott this offseason. After spending a year with the New England Patriots, Elliott’s return to Dallas strengthened the team’s backfield. This move leaves the likelihood of the Cowboys needing another top flight running back, such as Harris, rather low.
Steeler’s Stance on Harris and Future Prospects
The Steelers’ decision to decline Harris’ fifth-year option was a surprise, especially in the media circles. The team’s approach, as explained by Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, seems to be a ‘wait and see’ one. They are interested in observing how Harris fares in the team’s new offensive setup before making any long-term commitment.
Similar Notions and the Future
Adding to this narrative, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor also indicated that the Steelers aren’t entirely ruling out a potential deal with Harris after 2024. However, the anticipation of this being Harris’ last year with the Steelers is pretty high amongst local media. In an episode of The North Shore Drive Podcast on May 6, Ray Fittipaldo from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette predicted a 90-95% chance of Harris’ departure post-2024.
Remaining under high scrutiny and constant speculation, it appears that both Harris and the Steelers will have to navigate through the whirlwind of rumors as the 2024 season approaches. The rumor-mill never really stops when it comes to the Cowboys either. As the team gears up to vie for the championship in the upcoming season, speculation regarding trade ins and outs are likely to persist.
Hence, the rebuilding phase for teams like the Steelers and the Cowboys will always be fraught with various possibilities, conjectures, and rumors that are just part of the course in the mesmerizing world of NFL. In the given scenario of Najee Harris, though, things seem to have been blown out of proportion. Thanks to NFL Network’s Jane Slater, the sporting world now knows to take these rumors with a grain of salt.
Source: This article is based on a report by Heavy.com, originally published [here](https://heavy.com/sports/2024/05/steelers-najee-harris-cowboys-rumors/). For more sports news, visit www.digitalchew.com.
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