Steelers, James Harrison Nearing Deal?

The Steelers want to retain veteran edge rusher James Harrison, and “it sounds like a matter of time” before the two sides reach an agreement, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted today after speaking with Harrison’s agent.James Harrison

[RELATED: Steelers Working To Extend Alejandro Villanueva]

Harrison, who will be entering his age-39 season, was as effective as ever in 2016, playing on roughly 56% of Pittsburgh’s snaps and grading as the league’s No. 11 edge defender, according to Pro Football Focus. Although he put up five sacks, Harrison’s production wasn’t all in the pass rush, as he scored high marks against the run and ranked as the NFL’s best 3-4 ‘backer in pass coverage.

The league’s oldest defensive player, Harrison has spent his entire career with the Steelers save for a single-season run with the division rival Bengals in 2013. Despite his contributions to the Pittsburgh defense, Harrison has earned less than $2.5MM total during the past two years. He could be in for a slight raise in 2017, but given his age, and the fact that he’s unlikely to join another club, the Steelers can likely keep Harrison around on the cheap once again.

View Comments (5)