With free agency season less than two weeks away, Najee Harris’ representation has provided an update on his recovery from last year’s season-ending Achilles injury. 

Harris’ agent posted a video of his client running on a treadmill five months after undergoing surgery on his Achilles. While his recovery is impressive, anyone that is familiar with Harris’ work ethic shouldn’t be surprised. 

Prior to last season, Harris had never missed an NFL game. His durability allowed him to become the first player in Pittsburgh Steelers history to begin his NFL career with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. As a rookie, Harris broke Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris’ 49-year-old franchise record for rushing yards by a rookie. 

Harris’ durability in Pittsburgh was a testament to his intense training regiment that sometimes included individually training for up to an hour after practice had concluded. One can assume that Harris’ work ethic has paid dividends during his recent post-surgery rehabilitation. 

Last season, Harris played in just three games for the Chargers, who signed him to a one-year deal last offseason after the Steelers let him test the open market. Despite missing significant time last summer with an eye injury, Harris played well during his limited time on the field. He averaged a respectable 4.1 yards per carry and caught each of his three targets. 

At 6-foot-1 and 242 pounds, Harris is a physical back who isn’t afraid of contact. While he doesn’t have elite speed, Harris has more than enough quickness to get to the outside. He’s also an exceptional pass protector and pass-catcher; he caught a career-high 74 passes from Ben Roethlisberger during his standout rookie season. 

Where will Harris end up next? Here’s a rundown of some possible options for the soon-to-be 28-year-old. 

Seattle Seahawks 

Harris would make a lot of sense for Seattle if the Seahawks don’t re-sign Kenneth Walker, who like Harris is also slated to hit the open market. Walker, though, will likely command a higher salary as he is coming off an MVP performance in Seattle’s Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. 

Walker’s current projected market value is just over $36 million over four years. Harris’ projected market value is one year for $2.95 million. 

It’s conceivable that Harris would be able to mimic what Walker has brought to Seattle’s offense. While Walker may be slightly more talented and versatile as a runner, Harris is a better pass-catcher. He also wouldn’t have an issue sharing the workload with Zach Charbonnet after he was asked to do so in Pittsburgh with Jaylen Warren and Omarion Hampton in Los Angeles. 

San Francisco 49ers 

San Francisco was just 24th in the league in rushing in 2025, which was largely a byproduct of not having a more impactful complementary back alongside Christian McCaffrey. Brian Robinson Jr. averaged a solid 4.3 yards per carry, but he carried the ball just 92 times and caught just 8 of 12 targets. 

Harris would likely have a bigger impact if the 49ers signed him. His presence would likely help limit McCaffrey’s workload, would help the 49ers possess the ball more while also taking some of the pressure off of quarterback Brock Purdy. 

Kansas City Chiefs 

Harris makes a lot of sense here with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt set to become free agents. Last year, the duo of Pacheco and Hunt ran for a combined 1,073 yards but averaged just 3.8 yards per carry. Neither one made much of an impact for Patrick Mahomes in the passing game. 

After starting his career with Roethlisberger, Harris would get another chance to work with a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Mahomes, who could certainly use a stable running game if he and the Chiefs want to get back to the NFL’s upper echelon. 

Houston Texans 

Houston appears to have a promising young runner in Woody Marks, but it could use some depth behind Marks given Joe Mixon’s uncertain future and Nick Chubb slated to enter free agency. With Marks playing on a rookie contract, the Texans can afford to bring in another accomplished running back. 

Harris’ presence would not only help Marks and the running game, it would also undoubtedly help quarterback C.J. Stroud, whose lack of consistency in recent years has contributed to the Texans’ inability to get beyond the AFC divisional round. 

Denver Broncos 

The Broncos are looking to upgrade their running game after finishing 16th in rushing in 2025. Specifically, Denver is looking at outside options to potentially replace J.K. Dobbins, who like Harris is expected to be a free agent. Dobbins played well last season before an injury sidelined him for the season’s final seven games. 

In Denver, Harris would complement RJ Harvey, who was just as valuable during his rookie season as a receiver than as a runner. Harris’ presence would likely allow Harvey to continue to thrive in that role. 

Dallas Cowboys/Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas and Cincinnati were lumped together because both could use depth behind their starting running backs. Javonte Williams ran for 1,201 yards last year, but no other Cowboys player ran for over 250 yards. Jaydon Blue, a 2025 fifth-round pick, had only 38 carries while playing in just five games. 

In Cincinnati, Chase Brown eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career, but Samaje Perine (382 yards) was the only other Bengals player who ran for over 45 yards. Tahj Brooks, a 2025 sixth-round pick, appeared in 16 games but carried the ball just 16 times for 45 yards.