The Green Bay Packers added second-year running back Kaleb Johnson in a trade, and questions immediately followed about how he will fit into a backfield already in flux.
Starter Josh Jacobs is unavailable for the foreseeable future after being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. That leaves the remaining running backs competing for snaps and a clearer pecking order.
Matt Schneidman of The Athletic addressed the situation in a recent mailbag. He offered a straightforward view of Johnson’s expected role in the early weeks.
“Johnson might be more of a pass-protecting back to start the season, and that’s fine,” Schneidman wrote. “I don’t see him touching the ball all that much right out of the gate.”
Schneidman said Johnson is likely to open the year as the No. 3 running back. That ranking could change sooner than many expect.
Chris Brooks currently sits as the primary backup. Schneidman suggested Johnson possesses more long-term potential and could move past him once he learns the playbook.
“Once Johnson grasps the offense and gets his feet wet in games for the Packers, I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaps Brooks on the depth chart,” Schneidman wrote. “Johnson has more upside with the ball in his hands than Brooks.”
MarShawn Lloyd is listed as the starter for now. He has only six NFL carries across two seasons, limited by injuries that ended two of his campaigns.
Johnson’s rookie year in Pittsburgh was disappointing overall, yet he still recorded 28 rushing attempts. That volume already exceeds Lloyd’s entire professional rushing total.
Lloyd showed flashes of big-play ability when healthy. His college workload, however, remained modest and closer to what Johnson handled in his final collegiate season.
Packers coaches may look to Johnson for more consistent production between the tackles. Brooks is viewed as a depth piece with limited ceiling.
Johnson arrived in Green Bay as a former third-round pick and top-100 selection. His time with the Pittsburgh Steelers unraveled quickly.
He failed to win a starting job as a rookie. A mental error on a kickoff resulted in a safety and appeared to send him to the bottom of the depth chart.
A new coaching staff in Pittsburgh still chose not to keep him. The team opted for seventh-round rookie Eli Heidenreich instead.
The scheme in Pittsburgh also worked against him. Johnson is more comfortable as a zone runner, while the Steelers under Mike McCarthy favored gap schemes.
Matt LaFleur’s offense in Green Bay offers a closer match for Johnson’s skill set. How quickly he absorbs the system will determine whether he can claim the No. 2 job.
Johnson now has a fresh start with a team that needs bodies in the backfield. Early usage may be limited to protection and special teams, but the path to more carries is visible if he performs.
The Packers will evaluate him in practice and in games as they search for reliable production while Jacobs remains sidelined. Johnson’s next few weeks will show whether the trade addition can turn a difficult first NFL stop into a productive second chapter.
