The New York Giants agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent running back Najee Harris on Tuesday, giving the former Pittsburgh Steelers workhorse a shot at reviving his career after a torn Achilles wiped out most of his lone season with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Harris, 28, worked out for the Giants on Monday before the deal came together, according to ESPN's report on the signing. The 2021 first-round pick out of Alabama rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in Pittsburgh, made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and carries career totals of 4,373 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. He signed with the Chargers last March but tore his Achilles in Week 3, appearing in just three games before his 2025 season ended.

A crowded backfield under a new coach

Harris joins a Giants backfield already stocked with 2025 fourth-round pick Cam Skattebo and 2024 fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr., plus veteran Devin Singletary, under first-year head coach John Harbaugh — hired away from Baltimore in January on a reported contract worth more than $100 million over five years after 18 seasons with the Ravens. CBS Sports reported Harbaugh had been candid about where Harris stood physically ahead of any deal: "He's not back 100 percent. He's not in football shape yet. So, if we are able to do something, it'll be a process. But that would be a guy that has got a lot of experience. He's a decorated vet."

"HE'S NOT BACK 100 PERCENT ... BUT THAT WOULD BE A GUY THAT HAS GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE."

At roughly 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Harris fits the power-back profile Harbaugh has favored in the past, and reporting suggests the Giants view him as both insurance and competition for touches rather than a guaranteed starter.

The corresponding move cost a more decorated name his roster spot. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the Giants are releasing wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, a Super Bowl champion who signed with New York in early June but never got past the fourth spot on the receiver depth chart while managing a knee issue. The former Steelers and Chiefs standout is now set to hit free agency again as roster cuts approach league-wide.

The Harris signing gives the Giants a fifth veteran-caliber option in the backfield heading into the final weeks of preseason, with the team still working out how carries will be split once the regular season begins. No contract financial terms were disclosed by either side.