Steelers Daily News & Links: NFL Salary Cap Surges; Best Fit for Najee Harris
Steelers Daily News & Links: Your daily stop for all of the news and links from the Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL
🏈 The NFL informed teams on Wednesday that the 2025 per-team salary cap will fall in the range of $277.5 million to $281.5 million, way up from last year’s $255.4 million. Cap will have increased by more than $53 million over the last two years.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will have upwards of $60 million in salary cap space and can still increase that with a few more moves.
Jeff Hathhorn of 97.3 The Fan said the Steelers are ‘very much’ interested in Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb.
“I’ll throw out a name of someone I know that they’re interested in, and at least talking to. The medicals would have to play out, and obviously, it would be a decision, but Nick Chubb is someone they would consider. We’re talking about probably a one-year deal, a prove-it deal, an opportunity to get back on your feet. But there is interest,” Hathhorn said.
🏈 Ben Roethlisberger believes teams don’t fear the Steelers as much as they used to.
“I used to joke that we’d be up three or four points before a game even started because people are like, ‘Man, we’re about to get hit in the mouth by these guys.’ I think that you’ve lost a little bit of that in the sense that, you know, do you think that the Steeler team, that every single time someone comes in, like you’re not going to run for 100 yards? That was like a known thing, you weren’t running for 100 yards on our defense,” Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast.
🏈 Ryan Clark pushed back on Ben Roethlisberger’s comments saying the Steelers can’t expect everyone to want to play for them.
“All respect to Ben Roethlisberger, great teammate, Hall of Fame, first-ballot guy to me. But he’s wrong because when you look at free agent signings in Pittsburgh, you think of names like James Farrior, Jeff Hartings, Kevin Greene, who’s a Hall of Famer, and me. Ain’t no way I should be one of the biggest free-agent signings in a team’s entire history, but I am because the free agency was not where the Steelers built their team. They built their team through the draft,” Clark said on ESPN’s NFL Live.
🏈 The 33rd Team tabbed the Los Angeles Chargers as the best landing spot for Steelers running back Najee Harris in free agency. The 33rd Team predicts that Harris will join the Chargers on a three-year, $24 million contract.
“Najee Harris had 1,000 rushing yards, his fourth-straight year of doing so, but that was more because of volume than efficiency. Harris only averaged 1.06 yards before contact per carry, and he was hit within a yard of the line of scrimmage on 56.3 percent (the second-highest rate among running backs),” Dan Pizzuta of the 33rd Team wrote.
“A team could hope better blocking in front of Harris could open up some more room, but he’s also not incredibly explosive, so some kind of Saquon Barkley impact is likely not on the table.”
🏈 Of the 22 running backs with 600+ carries since 2021, Najee Harris ranked 22nd in yards before contact per rush (1.01), via TruMedia. His 3.9 yards per carry was also tied for second-worst among those RBs with only Ezekiel Elliott lower (3.8).
🏈 Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will be a keynote speaker at the Alabama Coaching Clinic on March 21-22.
🏈 Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop recently was at WVU working out.
🏈 The Pro Football Hall of Fame paid tribute to legendary Steelers scout Bill Nunn for his work in helping diversify the league and paving the way for his legendary tenure as a Steelers executive. Nunn was inducted into the PFHOF in 2021.
STEELERS NOW CONTENT FROM FEB. 19
🏈 Steelers Trade Price Revealed for Matthew Stafford
🏈 What Are the Steelers Waiting for at Quarterback?
🏈 HOF WR Thinks Steelers WR Corps is Most Glaring Issue: ‘They Have a Major Problem’
🏈 Kordell Stewart Backs Justin Fields: ‘Work He Put in Was Second to None’
🏈 Riddick: Aaron Rodgers and Steelers Need Each Other
🏈 Steelers Tabbed as Best Landing Spot for All-Pro Cornerback
🏈 Steelers Land ‘Uber-Explosive Playmaker’ in Latest Mock Draft
🏈 Insider ‘Wouldn’t Be Surprised’ if Steelers Traded for Broncos Star WR
NEWS FROM AROUND THE SPORTS NOW NETWORK
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: BREAKING: Penguins Play-By-Play Legend Mike Lange Dies
Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Perrotto: Pirates’ Outfield Alignment Could Be out of Line
Pittsburgh Sports Now: Duquesne MBB Has Balanced Effort Besting Fordham
West Virginia Sports Now: Breaking: Texas Expected to Hire WVU RB Coach Chad Scott
Nittany Sports Now: Joe and the Fatman: How Long Will Jim Knowles Stick Around?
Pittsburgh Soccer Now: Steel City FC release 2025 men’s schedule for first season in USL League Two