Najee Harris discusses his deal during Steelers training camp,At his first public offseason remarks
Veterans like Najee Harris and Jack Conklin may not have starter roles in 2024.
The NFL training camps have begun, and in no time at all, all 32 teams will be wearing pads and getting ready for the 2024 regular season to begin. Jobs will be gained and lost throughout the league, and camps will move at a dizzying pace.
In light of this, the following list of 12 seasoned players—listed in order of position—may be in jeopardy of losing their starting jobs in 2024.
Najee Harris
Jaylen Warren started reducing Harris’s workload by the conclusion of the previous season. Throughout the entire campaign, he was also more productive per touch, averaging 5.5 yards compared to Harris’ 4.2. Despite this, Harris started all 53 of his career’s games (including the playoffs) and had more carries than Warren in every game last season.
Mike Tomlin, who has been in Pittsburgh for a long time, has always preferred a bell-cow strategy in the backfield, with Harris leading the NFL in touches (381) in his first season. Warren, who recorded 210 touches in 2023 and is the only other Pittsburgh player to surpass 200 in a season since Harris’ arrival, seems to have changed that. Although Harris is expected to play a significant part in 2024, the Steelers rejected his option for a fifth season. It wouldn’t be surprising if Warren became even more active, possibly even taking over as the main quarterback. He’s more of a three-down back than Harris, and the new offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arthur Smith, ran an approach in Atlanta last year that gave his backs a lot of work in the passing game.
Gardner Minshew
Heading into camp, there are just too few real quarterback battles in the NFL, with most contests involving bridge quarterbacks attempting to hold off rookies. But in Las Vegas, we have a legitimate quarterbacking matchup between Aidan O’Connell and Minshew, two intriguing but unimpressive players.
As an offseason addition, Minshew is a new player in this equation and may actually replace O’Connell, who started 10 games as a rookie for the Raiders last season, if he emerges as the starter. However, Minshew is still the more seasoned veteran, and supporting O’Connell would be a clear step down following his 13-game start (and Pro Bowl selection) with the Colts in 2023. In addition, Vegas offered him a respectable salary on a $25 million, two-year contract.
With 37 NFL starts over five seasons, Minshew has unquestionably produced a stronger body of performance as a professional. In fact, he provides a respectable floor because he often limits the number of interceptions he makes, has some running ability, and never gives up on plays. However, that seems more like the blueprint for a better backup than a starter for the entire season.
Of course, the Raiders could start Minshew and give O’Connell the chance to earn the starting position throughout the season. But it seems like a better idea to give O’Connell a chance right now. According to head coach Antonio Pierce, O’Connell’s 2023 performance warrants a chance to start. Throughout his final six starts, O’Connell distinguished himself by throwing for nine touchdowns, committing just one turnover, and reducing the number of sacks he took. Whatever happens, the Raiders can always turn to Minshew if the 2023 fourth-round selection flames out in Year 2. However, the Raiders recognize that this is probably O’Connell’s best chance to secure the starting job going forward and must evaluate his abilities before considering other options for the 2025 summer, like as upgrading the QB position.
Mo Alie-Cox
Irrespective of the quarterback position, Alie-Cox has been in Indianapolis since 2018, through three head coaches and ten starting quarterbacks. However, he is a player with several weaknesses in his game and is infamously streaky. Do the Colts now have enough depth at tight end to make a move?
Last season, Alie-Cox’s playing time and starts were gradually reduced by Drew Ogletree and Kylen Granson. Will Mallory also saw enough encouraging moments at the end of the season to be assigned further work. The largest shift might be brought about by Jelani Woods’s return. He was severely wrecked by hamstring issues last season, despite looking promise in 2022.
In 2023, Alie-Cox did not play more over 35 snaps in a single game, suggesting that he is merely a “starter” in title. However, while the younger options grow, the Colts have kept him close to the top of the depth chart. The 30-year-old tight end is owed $5.9 million by the team in 2024, which seems excessive for a player who should be up against a lot of younger, less expensive players.
