In the aftermath of running back Dalvin Cook's release from the Minnesota Vikings, Najee Harris stepped up Tuesday to advocate for his position.
"The position is an art to me," the Pittsburgh Steelers rusher said, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "I'll always love the position. ... It's almost as if you're a queen in chess. You could do a lot of things: line up out wide, run the ball, protection."
He added: "For them to say a position is not as valued, it's kind of crazy."
Cook was just the latest star running back to be impacted by the seeming devaluation of the position. Ezekiel Elliot was released by the Dallas Cowboys in March, while Saquon Barkley was franchise tagged by the New York Giants amid faltering extension negotiations.
"To see people like that get released, especially in my position, it's like, damn, what did they do?" Harris said. "Is it because of their age?"
He added: "Dalvin Cook is coming off of multiple 1,000-yard seasons. What? ... Is it money from the team? They got to pay somebody? I don't know. But it's eye-opening, for sure."
Only nine running backs in the league make an average of over $10 million per season, per Over The Cap, compared to 31 wide receivers.
Harris has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Steelers, totaling 2,930 yards with 20 touchdowns in 34 career games.
