Breaking: Former Pro Bowler Could Find New Home With Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled in several areas in the midst of a 2-10 showing through 13 weeks, with running the football being one of their biggest problems.
The combination of Alexander Mattison and Zamir White hasn’t had any success, as the Raiders sport the worst rushing attack in the NFL. It is fair to point out, however, that the offensive line hasn’t done them any favors.
One player they could have their eye on is Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris, who was named a possible target for the Raiders by Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“I think he, too, wouldn’t mind a fresh start,” Batko said on the Joe Starkey Show on 93.7 The Fan. “The team that I mentioned in my chat the other day when someone asked about him was the Las Vegas Raiders.
“We all know Marshawn Lynch was his mentor, another Oakland guy. They still have the same agent and stuff like that. They’ll be in the position, I think, to draft a rookie and probably pay a running back. So I think that would be pretty cool if Najee ends up in Vegas next year, I just don’t see him back here.”
Harris was named to the Pro Bowl in his first season after tallying nearly 1,700 yards from scrimmage, including 1,200 on the ground. However, he wasn’t able to replicate that over the next two years, partly because of terrible blocking upfront.
After having his fifth-year option declined, Harris has been better in 2024, especially after quarterback Russell Wilson took over in Week 7. Harris, is on pace to tally his second-highest rushing and receiving yardage outputs of his career.
It remains to be seen if the Raiders will want to spend money on a free-agent back, but it stands to reason they might if they’re able to draft a quarterback at the top of the draft. Harris is a fantastic option to have in the backfield to take pressure off a young signal-caller given his dual-threat abilities out of the backfield.
