Maybe Pittsburgh’s 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC playoffs on Jan. 11 wasn’t Najee Harris’ final game with the Steelers. Omar Khan, Pittsburgh’s general manager, said on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Steelers hadn’t ruled out re-signing the running back.

The end of Pittsburgh’s 2024 campaign in the first round of the postseason also brought the end of the former Alabama All-American’s four-year, $13.047 million contract, which Harris signed as the 24th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Harris will become an unrestricted free agent at 3 p.m. CST March 12 if the Steelers don’t re-sign him before then.

Pittsburgh already has demonstrated its reluctance on committing to Harris, and keeping him out of free agency might be too rich for their blood this offseason.

One year ago, the NFL’s free-agent class was loaded at running back, including Saquon Barkley and Harris’ fellow Alabama alums Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs. This year’s free-agent class won’t offer that kind of top-tier talent on the open market.

RELATED: ALABAMA’S TOP 10 NFL RUSHERS

As the 14th player in NFL history to record a 1,000-yard rushing performance in each of his first four seasons and the only running back to play in (and also start) all of his team’s games over the past four seasons, Harris has something to offer, and the sports-financial website spotrac.com estimates the running back will command a three-year, $27.5 million contract as an unrestricted free agent.

Offsetting the free-agent offerings at running back this season are the ball-carriers available in the NFL Draft, with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty leading what is considered a deep pool of talent. But the draft doesn’t start until six weeks after free agency opens.

“It’s a good running-back class, for sure,” Khan told the Pittsburgh media on Tuesday. “It’s an exciting group. We haven’t closed the door on Najee. You know, have had conversations with Doug Henderson, his representative, so, you know, all options are on the table.”

The Steelers could have avoided a decision on Harris this offseason with a different decision on the running back’s future with the team last offseason.

As with all first-round draft picks, Harris’ contract carried a fifth-year option for the Steelers. But the decision to keep Harris for 2025 had to be made shortly after last year’s draft, and it came with a price tag — $6.79 million for the 2025 season.

The Steelers declined to pick up their option.

Harris responded with 1,043 yards and six touchdowns on 263 rushing attempts and 36 receptions for 283 yards as Pittsburgh posted a 10-7 regular-season record.

But Pittsburgh lost its final four regular-season games, then bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.

“Obviously, it was disappointing,” Khan said on Tuesday. “The way we ended was unacceptable. We know we have to be better. People expect better. We expect better. That can’t happen again. I’m just as disappointed as everyone else. I can tell you we’re working hard to fix that and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.