When the Pittsburgh Steelers’ former regime under ex-head coach Mike Tomlin used their third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select running back Kaleb Johnson, the general consensus from fans was that it was set up to be a really strong pick. There was a ton of hype surrounding Johnson in his rookie season, but it didn’t take long for that hype to turn into a nightmare scenario for the then-rookie.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson powering through drills and carrying the football with determination during the team's 2025 mandatory minicamp at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
In Week 2 against the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Johnson had a worst-case scenario for a rookie unfold. As he went back to field a kickoff, he fumbled the football, and the Seahawks were able to score a touchdown instead of the Steelers setting up their offense. He was relieved of those duties and never really was able to regain momentum or earn more opportunity.
The Steelers had Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell in front of him in 2025, and despite many thinking he would be a focal point of the offense, he wasn’t at all, finishing with just 69 rushing yards on 28 carries (2.46 average) across 10 games. Gainwell is gone, but there's a new running back in town to pair with Warren. Now, with Warren and Rico Dowdle in front of him in 2026, Steelers insider Jim Wexell believes that if new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy gets comfortable with someone else as the RB3, then Johnson could quickly become trade bait.
"If somebody shows they can handle that third running back spot, then Kaleb Johnson might be that guy that they deal," Wexell said. "Maybe they get a late-round pick or something, especially if he flashes in preseason or another team gets an injury at running back."
The Steelers have several options that could realistically push Johnson toward a trade scenario. For starters, they took a low-risk swing on Navy prospect Eli Heidenreich. He went viral on social media for posting testing numbers close to, or even better than, those of NFL star running back Christian McCaffrey.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers running back Eli Heidenreich on the field during rookie minicamp in 2026.
Still, it remains an uphill climb for Heidenreich to lock down the RB3 spot, especially because he profiles more as a do-it-all, "jack-of-all-trades" type, who can line up as a slot receiver, running back, and gadget option. He may ultimately carve out a unique role, but that is far from guaranteed.
Then there is Travis Homer, a strong special teams contributor who brings real value in that phase of the game, which could give him a legitimate edge in making the roster.
Finally, there is Lew Nichols, who Wexell and several other Steelers insiders have spoken highly of. Nichols is more of a bubble player and not likely to make the team, but if Johnson were traded, it would open the door for him and the others to compete for expanded opportunities in the running back room.
Steelers May Not Give Up On Kaleb Johnson Just Yet
Of course, the return for Johnson did not seem especially high in this hypothetical scenario, and if he develops under McCarthy, there is still a clear path for him to build a career in Pittsburgh.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson looks to run while playing the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland during the 2025 season.
The Steelers had hopes that Johnson could quickly make an impact. It does not seem like he is going to get that chance in 2026, and now it will be curious to see what his future looks like. The preseason will be very telling, and if he plays well, his trade value could rise, which may even make him more likely to be moved.
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