PITTSBURGH -- Aside from injuries, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson has not seen much work this season. Johnson, who has struggled to get going, has just 22 carries of 58 yards this season, a far cry from where the Steelers thought he would be as a third-round pick.
With Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren continuing to impress, it remains harder for Johnson to get carries. So, what would it take to get more work for the Iowa product?
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith says more plays, which will more chances for rushes to the rookie running back.
“If we have the ball more,” Smith said on Johnson’s work seeing an uptick. “If we have a game we can call 40 runs, you know, that’d be nice. We’d have to get there.”
Johnson is the team’s third running back on the depth chart and has been used as such. Yet, the expectations this preseason were sky high for him and he has not met them. He had been taken off kickoffs after a gaffe in Week 2 against the Seahawks gave Seattle a free touchdown.
All of that bubbled to the surface, and Johnson’s usage as a pure running back has not been plentiful either with Warren and Gainwell balling out.
It could eventually move upwards, but the Steelers will have to see Johnson take advantage of those opportunities more if he is going to get more chances.
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