The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Najee Harris in free agency, but could trade him before he ever plays a snap with the team. A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Alabama product spent the past four seasons leading Pittsburgh’s backfield. While he never quite justified his first-round draft capital, the running back proved he’s a starting-caliber back that can survive a high workload. Harris ran for 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons while making the Pro Bowl as a rookie with a 1,200-yard campaign.

On paper, Harris and his downhill style of play is a perfect fit for Jim Harbaugh’s old-school brand of football. However, with the arrival of first-round pick Omarion Hampton, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes Najee Harris could be expendable. In a recent article, the NFL analyst wrote that the Chargers could trade Najee Harris to a needy team like the Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys, Chargers Linked In Potential Najee Harris Trade

The Dallas Cowboys have the worst running back room in the NFL, so it’s easy to see why they’re linked in the Najee Harris trade rumors. After spending big on running backs in years past, owner Jerry Jones seems to have turned a new leaf following the departure of Tony Pollard in the 2024 offseason. After turning career backup Rico Dowdle into a 1,000-yard rusher, Jones allowed Dowdle to join the Carolina Panthers and rolled the dice on Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue.

Williams and Sanders have a history of success in the NFL, but injury and age, respectively, limit their expectations in 2025. Blue, meanwhile, is an untested rookie with unremarkable draft capital. Perhaps one of these players can emerge as a legitimate starter, but a Najee Harris trade would be a much safer bet for a team in a competitive division. If the running back is available, the Cowboys should see what it would take to get him.

Are the Chargers Interested?

Of course, the Chargers may not want to trade Najee Harris. Even though they selected Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chargers would probably prefer to keep Harris on the roster. For one, Hampton had phenomenal college tape, but he has yet to prove himself at the NFL level. Scouting is an imperfect science, and the Chargers shouldn’t place all their faith in Hampton, as he might need time to adjust to the faster, harder challenge of the NFL.

Even if Hampton hits the ground running, Los Angeles needs two reliable running backs. The Chargers have Super Bowl aspirations, and head coach Jim Harbaugh loves running the football more than just about any other coach in the league. Running back is a notoriously injury-prone position, and the Chargers must have a Plan B if Hampton gets hurt. Najee Harris lacks Hampton’s upside, but he is a starting-caliber running back, and a trade would only decrease their odds of hoisting the Lombardi at the end of the season.