Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is officially set to depart in free agency, agreeing to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers worth up to $9.25 million, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. It’s unclear, as of now, how much Harris will earn in base salary for the 2025 season, but clearly, there are some incentives at play.

Harris has totaled 1,000+ rush yards in each of his first four seasons in the NFL — just the 14th player in NFL history to have accomplished such a feat, per AL.com.

Since 2021, Harris ranks second in the league with 1,097 regular-season rush attempts, only behind superstar Derrick Henry, totaling 4,312 rushing yards (fifth-most among RBs). Unfortunately, Harris has struggled at times with efficiency, averaging 3.93 yards per attempt — the lowest average of any RB with 730+ rush attempts in that span. Despite the inefficiency, there’s no doubt that his physical run style could offer the team quite an edge.

Though there was some talk of a potential return to Pittsburgh in 2025 after declining his fifth-year option last offseason, the writing is officially on the wall as Harris makes his goodbyes to the team that selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The fifth-year option would have been paid Harris $6.79 in 2025. Instead, Harris looks to join the run-friendly regime under HC Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who is undoubtedly familiar with Harris’ game having been the Ravens’ OC for three of Harris’ four seasons in Pittsburgh. The Chargers ranked 10th in the league with a 41.3% run play percentage in 2024, per PFF.

2024 starting running back J.K. Dobbins is set to become a free agent at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, clearing the pathway for a heavy workload for Harris. Meanwhile, earlier this week, the Chargers had informed RB Gus Edwards, who totaled 371 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns in 2024, of his impending release.

Early Monday morning, it was announced that the Steelers had placed a second-round tender on former UDFA running back Jaylen Warren, who totaled 800+ scrimmage yards in back-to-back seasons alongside Harris. He’ll have an opportunity to seek a contract (and the Steelers, an opportunity to match it), but if no such deal is sought, the Steelers will pay him $5.346 million for the 2025 NFL season, per Over The Cap. Should Warren earn a contract from another team, the Steelers will have the opportunity to match the deal. If they decline the opportunity to match, they will be compensated with the offering team’s second-round pick. It still seems likely that the Steelers will bring in another runner to complement Warren, either through the draft or the pool of remaining free agents.

Harris is now the second Steelers free agent in the 2025 class to sign with the Chargers, with cornerback Donte Jackson agreeing to terms with L.A. on a two-year, $13 million contract Monday afternoon.