Declining Najees 5th looks even better

This is more apples to apples. We are seeing Warren in the lead back role and facing the same challenges Harris did.

 

We'll see.

I honestly hope that he'll play well enough to earn the option. I'm just someone who likes to see before they believe.

I think the reason that we haven't picked up a 5th year option for a "playing time" tier guy is because it's guaranteed money 2 years out. And before Metcalf, we only did that for Ben, Watt, and Minkah. All guys who were elite (or maybe just next to it in Ben's case...I try to define elite as ~ top 10% of starters in the league and I don't know if he was exactly top 3).

 

And yet he is still only averaging 3.1 yards per carry. Seems that being the lead back is different, which is what I and others have been trying to tell you for a couple of years now.

 

OL is worse this year than it has been.

Pretty sure I heard somewhere (Scouts Eye?) that first contact is coming something like 1-2 yards earlier than it was last year.

ETA: I think the OL is probably back to the Green season right now. Although the failure mode now is different because the center isn't always getting destroyed.

 

If I'm remembering correctly, $20M is about what the Titans paid for mediocre Moore. I guess that is what $20M gets you these days. Mediocre.

 

I thought you were kidding the first time you posted this nonsense, but you actually think your opinion affects how I watch the Steelers. Wow. Just wow.

I love watching Warren play. I'm just realistic about him and what he has shown to this point. I hope the line gets better and really allows him to shine, but right now, he is showing us exactly what limited Harris the last four years.

 

And people think I'm arrogant. Wow.

 

If that was the argument I made, that would be bad. It isn't and you should know that by now.

My argument is that they clearly thought Harris was the better player this past season, as evidence by him starting, getting more snaps, and getting more touches even when Warren was healthy. My argument is that they should have kept both, but they chose Warren because he is younger, has less wear and tear on him, and wasn't as vocal about wanting to get paid. You dismissed those arguments as unimportant right up to the moment Harris got hurt, which suggests you are deeply concerned about winning this argument with me.

I despised Roethlisberger. I still do. I think he is a lowlife who got away with some disgusting behavior toward women. I didn't let that get in the way of rooting for the team, just as I don't let nonsense on a message board stop me from rooting for every current Steeler to be successful, especially one as crucial to the team's success as Warren. They foolishly left themselves without another option, at least unless and until Johnson figures things out, so they need Warren to be great. Perhaps you would put a silly internet squabble ahead of your fandom, though I doubt it, but I will not.

 

Arguing that Harris's injury made the Steelers right after previously insisting wear and tear on Harris wasn't a factor is moving the goalposts.

I have consistently made the same argument all along, even back to when they declined Harris's option. I have added elements as they failed to properly replace Harris, but the fundamental argument is the same. Sure, it is repetitive, but I'm far from the only one who keeps bringing it up.

 

I think they kept the slightly lesser player because he was less likely to go into decline in the next year or two and he didn't run his mouth about the league not putting enough value on running backs. My evidence is simple. When they had both, they always started Harris, gave him more snaps, and gave him more touches.

It looked very much like a mistake until the moment Harris's Achilles tendon ruptured. You certainly seemed to present that as something the Steelers saw as a potential concern, even throwing the wear-and-tear argument I had made right back at me after the injury.

 

So he wasn't any good, yet they started him in every single game all four of his seasons with the team, consistently giving him more snaps and more touches than Warren. Do you see the flaw in your logic there?

I think they believed they could low-ball him and keep him after last season, which was a foolish belief given all the noise he made about the need for running backs to get paid. They also felt they could fall back to Warren and get more help in free agency or the draft if Harris left. The problem there was that the only free agent help they got is not very good. So far, neither is the back the drafted. Hopefully, Johnson turns it around and gives them the back they need to pair with Warren.

You still have no good answer for why they continued to run with Harris right into the playoffs last season. You tried draft pedigree, but that makes no sense four years after the guy was drafted with the GM who took him having retired. You tried health, but Warren was healthy later in the season. The only logical answer is that they went with the back they felt gave them the best chance to win.

I have no issue going back and forth on this, especially because I think the most important evidence favors my side of the argument, but when the games are happening all I care about is the Steelers winning and they need Warren to kick ass to make that happen.

 

Rinse and repeat

 

When they didn't shell out the 5 year option the writing was on the wall. I do believe they didn't use Harris properly. North and South runner. He could take a pounding and reciprocate. Using the toss outside to me was not his strength. Also at times his hesitation led to him going nowhere. The 5th year option I believe was 6.7 mill so not a cap killer.

Warren to me is kind of a Swiss army knife. He does have a better straight line burst then Harris and is better out of the backfield receiving.

the bottom line is that Harris is gone. I also don't believe that they made a big effort the sign him. The ship had sailed.

Kaleb Johnson. Banish him from returning kicks but he needs to get some reps out of the backfield.

 

The major differnce bettwen the two is Warren is more likey to hit 10+ yard plays.

 

I think Warren is more likely to hit plays over 30 yards, but how often does that happen?

Harris is more durable, and he does a better job of protecting the ball. That last one alone may be the most important reason why he got the ball more when the Steelers had both. Tomlin prioritizes ball security. Harris delivered that as well or better than any back in the NFL the last four seasons.