Steelers' Najee Harris Talks 'Eye-Opening' RB Contract Trends amid Saquon Rumors

Running backs are getting fed up with their diminishing value in the modern NFL.

Just ask Pittsburgh Steelers star Najee Harris, who was shocked this offseason when players like Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook were cut from the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.

"To see people like that get released, especially in my position, it's like, damn, what did they do?" he told reporters Tuesday. "Is it because of their age? You know what I mean? Cook is coming off of multiple 1,000-yard seasons. What? I don't know. Is it money from the team? They got to pay somebody? I don't know. But it's eye-opening, for sure."

A number of factors have led to teams devaluing the position. Many teams now utilize running-back-by-committee philosophies, hoping to limit touches and keep players fresh throughout the grind of a season.

The position has also gotten more specialized, with certain players thriving as either receiving, rushing or blocking options, and fewer players expected to thrive in all three roles.

And NFL teams believe they can get cheap options later in the draft, which means they are more prone to stick with players on inexpensive rookie deals than sign veterans to lengthy and lucrative extensions.

The belief around the NFL seems to be that many running backs peak early in their careers and lose a step closer to the age of 30. Teams, in turn, don't want to get saddled with a lucrative contract for a player who may no longer be performing at his peak.

But star players like Harris and Saquon Barkley—who was franchise-tagged this offseason and has yet to sign a tender as he seeks a long-term deal—are getting squeezed in the process despite contributing to their offense in multiple, and important, ways.

"What we go through is probably one of the roughest positions," Harris told reporters. "I'm just advocating. ... I'm a running back myself, and I'm pretty sure any running backs who will want to come in the league ... people going around and telling them, 'If you want to get paid, don't be a running back.'"