Malik Harrison

Career StatsC+

Year	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT
Career		87	215	2.0	—
2025		11	41	0.0	0
2024		15	54	2.0	0
2023		14

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Steelers secured Malik Harrison on what amounts to a fair market deal, earning a C CVI that reflects competent but unspectacular value. At $5M annually, Pittsburgh is paying rotational player money for exactly that — a rotational player who can contribute in sub-packages and provide linebacker depth without breaking the bank. The two-year structure with $4.1M guaranteed gives the Steelers reasonable protection while allowing Harrison to potentially earn his way into a larger role, though the modest guarantee suggests they view him more as a dependable role player than a breakout candidate. Harrison's production tier aligns almost perfectly with his salary slot, making this the definition of market-rate business — neither a bargain nor an overpay, just competent roster building. For a Steelers defense that values versatility and depth at linebacker, this signing represents solid foundational work rather than a splash move, giving them a reliable piece who knows his role and can execute it consistently.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Malik's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Per-game impact for Malik Harrison pencils out to a C+ performance grade. Harrison slots in as a solid-starter-caliber linebacker whose consistency keeps him roster-relevant, though he operates well below the elite tier at his position. His 2025 season production of 41 tackles across 11 games represents genuine depth-level contributions, but the absence of splash plays—zero sacks, zero forced fumbles, zero interceptions across his entire six-year career—underscores a glaring limitation in his playmaking profile. For a 28-year-old linebacker operating in his age-27 season, durability has not been an asset; his current $5.0M cap hit and recent activation from injured reserve paint a picture of a player the Steelers are actively managing both on and off the field. The mediaFraming and recentTeamDirection paint a clear picture: Pittsburgh's front office is reshaping its depth chart through targeted signings and releases, and Harrison's roster standing remains precarious despite recent on-field improvements. His trajectory hinges entirely on whether the organization decides that his production justifies his cost—a calculus that, based on the D- sentiment trend and ongoing cut-candidate speculation, is tilting toward the negative heading into the new season.

How Malik Compares at the Position

Malik Harrison ranks 126th of 338 graded linebackers by performance. That slots Malik between Jerome Baker (C+) just ahead and Dallas Turner (C+) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Malik Harrison enters the 2026 offseason as one of the more polarizing roster decisions in Pittsburgh, with public perception sitting firmly in the negative — a D- sentiment that reflects a player the media and fan base have largely written off as expendable. The dominant narrative centers on a $5.0M cap hit that feels increasingly difficult to justify, with multiple outlets explicitly framing him as a cut candidate and raising pointed questions about whether his cost-to-production ratio makes any sense for a team managing its roster heading into a new season. That skepticism is hard to argue against when you pair it with his D performance grade — six seasons into his career, Harrison's resume shows 2 sacks, no forced fumbles, and no interceptions, the kind of career arc that cements a reputation as a depth piece rather than a difference-maker at the position. The one counternarrative keeping the conversation from being entirely one-sided is a recent positive evaluation from a credible analytical source, along with his return from injured reserve and a 2025 season that showed 41 tackles across 11 games — genuine production for a depth linebacker, but not the kind that silences questions about a $5.0M price tag. Pittsburgh's offseason activity — a flurry of signings at multiple positions — signals a front office actively reshaping its depth chart, which only amplifies speculation about where Harrison fits. The bottom line is that the narrative around Harrison right now is less about what he can do on the field and more about whether the Steelers can afford to keep him there — and the media consensus, trending further downward over the last 30 days, suggests most observers already know the answer.