Hey Mike, slow down a bit here.
Look, I like the dedication to Najee Harris and the way Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has done exactly what he should have done --- how he firmly stomped his foot down and exclaimed the rookie from Alabama is the man in the backfield for this franchise since the very moment he stepped into the Steel City.
Good.
That’s how it should be. Big move by Big Mike.
But slow down with this whole “Najee is going to get work in all four preseason games” stuff, Mike.
It is unnecessary.
It would be overuse.
It doesn’t need to happen and, even more, it could just be bordering on insanity.
As the Pittsburgh Steelers get set to kick off the NFL preseason with the Dallas Cowboys tonight in Canton in the Hall of Fame Game, Tomlin has seemingly already outlined his designs on how some things will play out.
We kind of, sort of know what the snap count for Ben Roethlisberger will look like throughout the preseason. We kind of, sort of understand the breakdown of the QB2 battle and how those snaps will be charted out and then implemented in these four preseason games as Mason Rudolph tries like hell to stave off Dwayne Haskins for the job.
We get all of that and understand it.
It is all easy to see.
But for the life of me, I’m trying to understand any benefit of Mike Tomlin proudly proclaiming --- and then even more so actually implementing --- Harris being in uniform and toting the rock in all four preseason games. I’m still searching for the part of it that would be necessary and I can’t find it. Harris is the undeniable No. 1, will be the undeniable No. 1 and nothing will change that. So let the real battle in the backfield take up a bulk of the carries --- and there is a very real battle for the RB2 spot behind Harris.
At the very least, there is a very real battle for how the use and implementation of guys like Snell, Ballage, McFarland, etc. will all go down.
Those guys will play a part in the season at some point, so let them fight it out in the preseason and see who rises to the top behind Harris.
There is still time to be flexible here, Mike. Don't screw it up.
And I’m guessing he might come to his senses. So have another thought about it; it is OK to go back on your word here.
Najee Harris doesn’t need to play in all four preseason games. It actually has the potential to do more harm than good. Relax a little, Mike.
Just relax.
Get Najee in there some in the preseason, then get him out of there. Don't do anything boneheaded. And playing him in all four preseason games would be, absolutely, boneheaded.