The ongoing saga between Najee Harris and potential trade rumours linking him to the Dallas Cowboys has been nothing short of a whirlwind. Since the Pittsburgh Steelers opted not to extend Harris’s contract via the fifth-year option, the rumor mill has been working overtime.
The decision signalled a possible shift in Pittsburgh’s backfield strategy, favouring Jaylen Warren, who emerged as a breakout star in 2023. Amidst this backdrop, Harris, a first-round pick in 2021, finds himself at the centre of speculation about a move to a team in dire need of a running back boost.
Dallas Cowboys: A Running Back Requisite?
The Dallas Cowboys, having recently lost Tony Pollard, are purportedly on the lookout for a new backfield leader. With the 2024 NFL season looming, the Cowboys are poised to rely again on Ezekiel Elliott—a star whose brightest days may be behind him—and Rico Dowdle. Given their limited financial leeway, acquiring Harris could provide a strategic, cost-effective enhancement to their roster. This necessity forms the crux of the rumours that continue to circle despite some insiders dismissing them as mere “clickbait.”
Analyzing Najee Harris’s Trade Feasibility
Matt Holder of Bleacher Report recently escalated these whispers into a louder conversation. In his analysis, Holder applies a “Buy or Sell” test to the NFL’s swirling gossip, particularly focusing on the Cowboys’ interest in Harris. His conclusion? Where there’s smoke, there’s likely fire. Holder suggests that trade could serve both teams well—Pittsburgh would gain cap relief and asset accumulation, while Dallas would fill a critical void without breaking the bank.
“Granted, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported that the Cowboys dismissed the trade rumours as ‘clickbait,'” Holder notes, indicating a possible strategic move by the Cowboys to keep Harris’s acquisition cost manageable. Despite the public dismissal, the notion of Dallas’s front office subtly pursuing Harris, especially given the ageing Elliott’s recent re-signing, adds layers to the narrative.
“We’re running back by committee”
— #Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on Ezekiel Elliott and the RB depth chart
McCarthy has a 90% reliability rating on depth chart coachspeak and is one of the NFL’s most honest coaches across the board
We expect a full-assed RBBC drizzy this season pic.twitter.com/6WXED96qe0
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) May 11, 2024
The ‘Win-Now’ Strategy: A Jerry Jones Playbook Staple
The prospect of trading for Harris aligns well with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’s infamous ‘win-now’ mentality, potentially making the deal attractive enough to consider seriously. It’s a move that could reflect Jones’s readiness to trade valuable picks for immediate performance boosts, a hallmark of his ownership tenure.
Conclusion: Speculation or Imminent Deal?
While the truth behind closed doors remains obscured, the alignment of needs and opportunities makes the Harris-to-Cowboys scenario tantalizingly plausible. As trade rumours refuse to dissipate, it seems increasingly likely that this is more than just fodder for clicks.
Whether a deal materializes remains to be seen, but as the NFL inches closer to the 2024 season, the eyes of many will remain fixed on Dallas and Pittsburgh, watching for any sign that this trade rumour might transition into reality.
