Steelers Najee Harris prepared to take 500 carries in 2022 if it will help Pittsburgh win games

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There are some who believe was too heavily utilized in his breakout  Genesis Cabrera Jersey rookie season that coincided with the retirement tour of , and that faction of analysts are about to do some very real pearl-clutching if the former first-round pick has his way in 2022. The 24-year-old led the NFL in 2021 with 381 touches -- the first rookie in the history of the league to have more than 300 carries and greater than 70 receptions -- but he recently noted an expectation that the .That is obviously no guarantee, with Roethlisberger retired but a ton of uncertainty at the quarterback position , and Harris readily understands this. And given that understanding, he says he's ready for as many touches in 2022 as the Steelers are prepared to give him, even if that means decimating the record he said last season in that category.Rumors of his weight gain were overstated, Harris made clear weeks ago, and he's primed for action."I'll get 500 touches ," he told " " ahead of training camp. "Listen, I didn't have an i sue with it. It was the media who had an i sue with it. I told Justin Williams Jersey  them every game, 'If this is the way we're winning, I can carry the load.' I train to carry loads."It's not something that I haven't done before. I did it in college, high school, NFL. For me to get that much carries, I was like, man, is we winning games? It was a long streak where someone was saying if I have 25 carries, then we're undefeated."         Pick Six Newsletter   Crafted By The Best NFL Experts   Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings.     I  Michael Wacha Jersey agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies.  By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's .                 Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.       Thanks for signing up!   Keep an eye on your inbox.     Sorry!   There was an error proce sing your subscription.     For reference, and to prove Harris' point, his last season with the Crimson Tide saw him ama s 294 touches for 1,891 yards and 30 touchdowns, and Alabama went on to win the national championship that season with Harris also garnering honors as SEC Championship Game MVP. This means what he did as an NFL rookie was nothing new to him, and he's perfectly OK with doing it again, and again, and again -- for as many seasons as the Steelers need him to.  "So, OK, this is our identity right here," he added. "Let's keep this going on, let's keep this going. Listen, if I get 500 carries,  Matt Carpenter Jersey as long as we're winning, it doesn't really matter."Of course, there's often a difference between wishing for something and the reality of what comes with receiving it, because running backs in the NFL have one of the shortest shelf lives around -- given the punishment they take on a regular basis -- and the Steelers understand this, which is why Harris initially stated there's a chance his touches move in the opposite direction with the obvious goal of extending the career of what's already become an integral piece of the Steelers future.But that would also require solid quarterback play, and training camp will open with an all-out Keith Hernandez Jersey  competition between Mitch Trubisky, rookie , and . As for which of the four Harris predicts will emerge as QB1 for the team's Week 1 opener against the ?He has no idea. The Pro Bowler is simply ready to do job.  "I'm just a player. I'm not the coach."