Jaylen Warren better RB than Najee

[DesertSteel]

It’s very curious how they call these plays sometimes.

First - Patterson should NEVER be in the game running the ball.

Secondly - Harris has enough problems stutter stepping when running north and south, to pitch the ball to him and try to run him outside is just asinine. It didn’t work when Conner was in Pittsburgh and it has never worked with Harris. That’s a Warren play. Harris is a North/South, maybe one cut, runner. He’s not a Le’Veon Bell, wait for the hole and go guy.

Lastly - stop with the draw play from the shotgun formation. It doesn’t work in Pittsburgh.

100% agree. Najee is only good if you give him a hole and get him downhill. He easy to bring down otherwise.

[86WARD]

100% agree. Najee is only good if you give him a hole and get him downhill. He easy to bring down otherwise.

The difficulty to bring him down when he’s running north and south compared to how easy it is to bring him down when he’s running east/west is like the total opposite extreme ends of the spectrum…

[ETL]

Warren looked much better than Najee today.

[Rotorhead]

Warren looked much better than Najee today.

I don’t know, Najee was killing it that first drive, then we stopped using him completely for Patterson for some reason, I honestly thought he was hurt. Then Warren started getting the ball and making good runs, then back to Najee in the third for a TD. Get rid of CP and just use Najee and Warren (and use them correctly) and we have a really good 1-2 punch. After that first drive, I don’t know what we were doing, should have kept running it instead of trying to pass it so much, at least until the Browns stopped the run.

[Born2Steel]

The difficulty to bring him down when he’s running north and south compared to how easy it is to bring him down when he’s running east/west is like the total opposite extreme ends of the spectrum…

Notice how Derek Henry goes down easily when hit from the side?

[86WARD]

Notice how Derek Henry goes down easily when hit from the side?

I never really noticed...does he?

[Born2Steel]

I never really noticed...does he?

Yep.

[DesertSteel]

Harris had 16 carries yesterday, including the following 11 runs:

Yards
3
2
0
2
0
3
1
-1
1
0
1

(I obviously left off his 1 yard run for a TD).

I won't miss him next year.

[hawaiiansteeler]

[DesertSteel]

I watch some of them too and I’ll just have to disagree. They are almost identical. Conner runs straight forward, Harris dilly dally’s a bit before getting to the point. The result is very close to the same.

They don’t look identical. Not when I watch them and not according to the stats.

[Born2Steel]

They don’t look identical. Not when I watch them and not according to the stats.

I am a fan of Conner. I did not want to let him walk. But, the one big glaring difference between Conner and Najee is Conner is still playing a college schedule. He plays 13, 14, maybe 15 games. Najee has not missed. Add those zeros in there for games missed and his YPC drops significantly below Najee's.

[86WARD]

Conner is injured again. Still has not played a full schedule.

[DesertSteel]

Conner is injured again. Still has not played a full schedule.

So Conner is better but gets injured too much? That's a different argument than before.

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I am a fan of Conner. I did not want to let him walk. But, the one big glaring difference between Conner and Najee is Conner is still playing a college schedule. He plays 13, 14, maybe 15 games. Najee has not missed. Add those zeros in there for games missed and his YPC drops significantly below Najee's.

I kind of wish Najee had missed a few games. The ones where he gains 37 yards on 16 carries.

[Born2Steel]

So Conner is better but gets injured too much? That's a different argument than before.

- - - Updated - - -


I kind of wish Najee had missed a few games. The ones where he gains 37 yards on 16 carries.

That would mean he averages over 5ypc in other games.

[DesertSteel]

That would mean he averages over 5ypc in other games.

Well wouldn’t that be a pleasant change! A Christmas miracle!

[86WARD]

So Conner is better but gets injured too much? That's a different argument than before.

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I kind of wish Najee had missed a few games. The ones where he gains 37 yards on 16 carries.

I don’t think I said Conner was better. They are pretty much the same player with Harris being more durable.

[Born2Steel]

Well wouldn’t that be a pleasant change! A Christmas miracle!

Work out the math. If he averages 3.9 for his career, you say he has games of 2.3ypc(37yards on 16 carries), this means he has other games of 5.5ypc in order to reach his average of 3.9. Obviously neither of us is being serious with this.

[DesertSteel]

Work out the math. If he averages 3.9 for his career, you say he has games of 2.3ypc(37yards on 16 carries), this means he has other games of 5.5ypc in order to reach his average of 3.9. Obviously neither of us is being serious with this.

3.9 is as good as he gets in his career. But if I didn’t know his stats I’d still know he’s nothing better than average. He’s so slow to the hole. If someone can’t see that I don’t know what to say. I knew there was a problem when he wouldn’t run a 40 before the draft. If the Steelers felt differently than me, they would have signed his 5th year option.

[86WARD]

Look through the list of drafted RBs. Who from the 3-7 rounds do you think would perform better than Harris in the Steelers offense?

All I’m seeing is mostly guys sitting on NFL benches or struggling to produce.

Would these dudes be better on the Steelers?

It weird that people keep saying you can draft a RB late. What teams that are in the playoffs have a RB drafted after Round 2?

Seems like it’s a necessity…

[Mojouw]

It weird that people keep saying you can draft a RB late. What teams that are in the playoffs have a RB drafted after Round 2?

Seems like it’s a necessity…

There was a stretch it time where you totally could. Maybe like when the younger Shsnahan-McVay stuff first hit and the tail end of the older Shanahsn and Kubiak Denver stuff?

But it isn't the case lately.

NFL keeps changing.

[Steeler-in-west]

Najee isnt fast or quick, thats his greatest drawback imo.

[86WARD]

There was a stretch it time where you totally could. Maybe like when the younger Shsnahan-McVay stuff first hit and the tail end of the older Shanahsn and Kubiak Denver stuff?

But it isn't the case lately.

NFL keeps changing.

Seems we are in an era now where you need a good QB, good RB and a group of above average WRs to go far. I think with the Buccaneers and maybe Commanders, they are the only two teams without the 1 or 2 round RB.

Steelers, average QB, first round RB (average), below average WRs. lol

[pczach]

Seems we are in an era now where you need a good QB, good RB and a group of above average WRs to go far. I think with the Buccaneers and maybe Commanders, they are the only two teams without the 1 or 2 round RB.

Steelers, average QB, first round RB (average), below average WRs. lol

The problem everyone seems to have is that we all want a running back that is fast to break long runs for touchdowns, that is powerful, that has great vision, that makes people miss, that breaks tackles at will with great ball security, that runs routes and catches like a WR, and that can stone a 250lb linebacker in pass protection, and he has to be the greatest teammate ever.

There's only one problem with that......there are only a couple in the world like Saquon Barkley and McCaffrey. There are a couple other guys that are really good all-around players, but Barkley and CMC are the unicorns at the position. And for the record, Derrick Henry is a great runner. He is not great in the passing game.

I'm not telling you something you don't know when I say that players like that aren't available in the fifth round. You may strike gold once in a great while, but for the most part, you are lucky to get a serviceable RB at that point of the draft. Nearly all the RBs have flaws or they would be taken much earlier. Most of the truly special backs are taken early in the draft.

Najee Harris is a good running back, it's just that everybody wants a "special" player when they are drafted at that position in the first round. I like Harris. He is a very powerful runner and is durable and reliable with good ball security and good hands. He just isn't an elite back. He and Warren are a very good tandem IMO. We all get enamored with Warren's speed and quickness, but he misses time now with only limited duty. There is nothing he has shown so far that says he will be able to handle the load as a feature back. I love the way he runs, and I hope that some of his injuries are just bad luck and that he can handle the load if it is asked of him.

If they let Najee go, then it is Warren and whoever the draft or pick up in free agency. Drafting is always the cheaper way to go, and I suspect that's what the team will do if they are looking to save money at RB to improve the roster everywhere else and pay a quarterback.

[86WARD]

The problem everyone seems to have is that we all want a running back that is fast to break long runs for touchdowns, that is powerful, that has great vision, that makes people miss, that breaks tackles at will with great ball security, that runs routes and catches like a WR, and that can stone a 250lb linebacker in pass protection, and he has to be the greatest teammate ever.

There's only one problem with that......there are only a couple in the world like Saquon Barkley and McCaffrey. There are a couple other guys that are really good all-around players, but Barkley and CMC are the unicorns at the position. And for the record, Derrick Henry is a great runner. He is not great in the passing game.

I'm not telling you something you don't know when I say that players like that aren't available in the fifth round. You may strike gold once in a great while, but for the most part, you are lucky to get a serviceable RB at that point of the draft. Nearly all the RBs have flaws or they would be taken much earlier. Most of the truly special backs are taken early in the draft.

Najee Harris is a good running back, it's just that everybody wants a "special" player when they are drafted at that position in the first round. I like Harris. He is a very powerful runner and is durable and reliable with good ball security and good hands. He just isn't an elite back. He and Warren are a very good tandem IMO. We all get enamored with Warren's speed and quickness, but he misses time now with only limited duty. There is nothing he has shown so far that says he will be able to handle the load as a feature back. I love the way he runs, and I hope that some of his injuries are just bad luck and that he can handle the load if it is asked of him.

If they let Najee go, then it is Warren and whoever the draft or pick up in free agency. Drafting is always the cheaper way to go, and I suspect that's what the team will do if they are looking to save money at RB to improve the roster everywhere else and pay a quarterback.

You’re 100% correct. Everyone wants Patrick Mahomes. Not easy to find.

Willie Parker - Everyone loved him, but they wanted a big back. Jerome Bettis - Everybody loved him but they wanted a fast back. When Bettis left…everyone still looking for the big bruising back…and then they’ll be looking for Willie Parker. It’s the same all around the world…people just want whatever is not in their building or not available.

[Born2Steel]

In the CFP they kept talking about TreVeyon Henderson being a threat to 'take it to the house' from anywhere. I think that is what most fans want at the RB position. I think the Lions have that guy with Gibbs. As already mentioned Barkley. It's why Barry Sanders got the ball an average of 340 times a season.

[Steeler-in-west]

The problem everyone seems to have is that we all want a running back that is fast to break long runs for touchdowns, that is powerful, that has great vision, that makes people miss, that breaks tackles at will with great ball security, that runs routes and catches like a WR, and that can stone a 250lb linebacker in pass protection, and he has to be the greatest teammate ever.

There's only one problem with that......there are only a couple in the world like Saquon Barkley and McCaffrey. There are a couple other guys that are really good all-around players, but Barkley and CMC are the unicorns at the position. And for the record, Derrick Henry is a great runner. He is not great in the passing game.

I'm not telling you something you don't know when I say that players like that aren't available in the fifth round. You may strike gold once in a great while, but for the most part, you are lucky to get a serviceable RB at that point of the draft. Nearly all the RBs have flaws or they would be taken much earlier. Most of the truly special backs are taken early in the draft.

Najee Harris is a good running back, it's just that everybody wants a "special" player when they are drafted at that position in the first round. I like Harris. He is a very powerful runner and is durable and reliable with good ball security and good hands. He just isn't an elite back. He and Warren are a very good tandem IMO. We all get enamored with Warren's speed and quickness, but he misses time now with only limited duty. There is nothing he has shown so far that says he will be able to handle the load as a feature back. I love the way he runs, and I hope that some of his injuries are just bad luck and that he can handle the load if it is asked of him.

If they let Najee go, then it is Warren and whoever the draft or pick up in free agency. Drafting is always the cheaper way to go, and I suspect that's what the team will do if they are looking to save money at RB to improve the roster everywhere else and pay a quarterback.

Id settle for a LeVeon Bell or a Barry Foster over Harris. A little more quickness and vision. I know Najee has power and durability but he doesnt seem to have much else.

[86WARD]

Id take Barry Foster in a second!! Every day!