When the Dallas Cowboys released running back Ezekiel Elliott in March, it may have caught the attention of Najee Harris. Now that the Minnesota Vikings have followed suit and cut Dalvin Cook, Harris has his antenna way up.
The NFL trend line of devaluing running backs has come to a head this offseason. Elliott was let go from his $90 million contract after his least efficient season in 2022, and Dallas will save $10 million. But Cook got the ax coming off four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, in a move that will save Minnesota about $9 million this year.
“Obviously, they say what they say about the running back: The position’s going downwards,” Harris said Tuesday as the Steelers finished their first practice of minicamp. “But if you look at some of the offenses, the running back is featured a lot.”
