The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into the 2024 NFL season with their eyes on history, aiming to become the first team since the 1960s Green Bay Packers to three-peat as Super Bowl champions. Led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs enter the year brimming with confidence. However, despite their dominant run, questions still loom over a few key positions on the roster, particularly at running back.
The Chiefs have been rumored to be seeking a boost in their backfield, which currently features rising star Isiah Pacheco, veteran Samaje Perine, and an injury-prone Clyde Edwards-Helaire. With Edwards-Helaire’s injury woes continuing and Perine more suited for complementary duties, Kansas City may look to add a more dynamic, proven weapon to balance the load for Pacheco and further fuel Mahomes’ offense.
One potential target? Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris.
According to a report from Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, Harris has emerged as a potential trade candidate for the Chiefs, with the team eager to bolster its backfield ahead of a highly anticipated season. Harris, a 2021 first-round pick, has rushed for over 4,000 yards in his career and offers the type of power and explosiveness Kansas City could use to diversify their offensive attack. With Harris and Pacheco sharing the backfield, the Chiefs would have one of the most formidable running back duos in the NFL.
The idea of Kansas City pursuing Harris, or potentially his Steelers’ teammate Jaylen Warren, stems from the fact that both are set to become free agents following the 2024 season. If Pittsburgh stumbles out of the gate, they could look to trade one of their star backs to acquire assets for the future, rather than risking losing them for nothing in free agency.
The Chiefs were already aggressive in trying to land a big-name running back this offseason. Josh Jacobs, who eventually signed with the Green Bay Packers, revealed that Kansas City was among the teams pursuing him in free agency. Jacobs, however, couldn’t envision joining a rival team. “They were trying to get me hard,” Jacobs told The Athletic, “but there was no way I was going there.”
Though the Chiefs missed out on Jacobs, their continued interest in strengthening their backfield underscores how seriously they are taking their quest for a third straight championship. If the Steelers falter early in the season, the Chiefs could be poised to make a move to acquire Harris, a back who could instantly provide Mahomes and the offense with another dynamic playmaker.
While Pacheco is entrenched as the team’s top back, Harris’ addition would give the Chiefs much-needed depth and versatility, providing Mahomes with a hard-nosed runner who can also catch passes out of the backfield. With Kansas City’s ultimate goal of making history on the line, a midseason trade for a player like Harris could be the missing piece in their pursuit of another Super Bowl title.
As the 2024 season kicks off, it remains to be seen whether the Chiefs will indeed pull the trigger on a trade. But if history has shown us anything, it’s that Kansas City is willing to make bold moves to stay at the top—and landing a back like Harris might just be the next step in their championship journey.
