The Pittsburgh Steelers are hours away from submitting their initial 53-man roster, and one of the more surprising names hanging in the balance is a player they invested a third-round pick in only last spring.
Running back Kaleb Johnson, the Iowa product selected 83rd overall in 2025, has not done enough in two preseason games to lock down a spot behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.
With the final exhibition against Buffalo on Thursday serving as the last audition before Sunday’s deadline, the former Big Ten standout finds himself needing a breakout performance simply to stay in Pittsburgh.
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported Thursday that the possibility of cutting Johnson after just one season is looking increasingly likely, noting the modest production of two carries for three yards in the opener followed by 10 carries for 39 yards against the Jets.
DeFabo predicted the Steelers would keep the veteran special-teams contributor Travis Homer as the third back instead, given that Warren and Dowdle are expected to handle the bulk of the offensive snaps.
That assessment aligns with Johnson’s difficult first year in the NFL. After arriving as a consensus All-American who rushed for 1,537 yards and a school-record 23 total touchdowns as a junior at Iowa, he managed just 28 carries for 69 yards and a single reception in 2025.
A costly kick-return miscue in Week 2 against Seattle became the defining image of his rookie campaign; he was later a healthy scratch for much of the second half of the season. The Steelers added Dowdle in free agency this offseason and already had Warren established as a reliable complement, leaving Johnson fighting for scraps in a crowded backfield.
Special teams has been another gap. Homer brings a proven track record as a core contributor on coverage units, while Johnson has not distinguished himself in that area since the early-season gaffe.
Roster math also works against him. If the team elects to keep extra quarterbacks or an additional tight end such as Robert Tonyan, the running-back room becomes an obvious place to trim.
Johnson’s four-year contract still carries a modest cap number, but the organization has shown willingness in the past to move on from mid-round picks who fail to carve out a clear role.
Johnson is only 23 and still possesses the size and vision that made him an attractive draft prospect. A strong showing in Buffalo—explosive runs, reliable pass protection, and perhaps a return contribution—could force the coaching staff to reconsider.
Absent that, the Steelers appear prepared to treat last year’s third-round selection as a developmental project better suited for the practice squad, assuming he clears waivers.
For a franchise that rarely discards recent draft capital so quickly, the impending decision on Johnson would mark an unusually early admission that the fit simply has not worked.
