When the Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round last April, a ton of hype followed the rookie’s arrival in Pittsburgh. His teammates and coaches raved about him during the offseason and into training camp, and he was one of the most intriguing players to watch ahead of the three-game preseason slate.
Unfortunately, his rookie season didn’t come anywhere close to its expectations. Johnson didn’t overly impress in the preseason. Then in Week 2, he had a crucial mistake on a kickoff that gave up a touchdown and helped cost the Steelers a win. The coaching staff never seemed to trust him after that, and he got occasional carries throughout the season but nothing consistent.
With Kenneth Gainwell leaving in free agency, the Steelers quickly agreed on a two-year deal with Rico Dowdle. Again behind two players on the depth chart, it’s going to be tough for Johnson to earn carries. Responding to a question in his weekly chat with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Ray Fittipaldo thought the same.
“I don’t think your future is bright, Kaleb. But you might get an opportunity if Warren or Dowdle gets injured. If that happens, you better take advantage of your opportunity. It’s obvious they don’t have a ton of faith in you right now,” Fittipaldo wrote Tuesday.
That certainly seems to be the case for Kaleb Johnson. Despite a new coaching staff, you can count on Jaylen Warren having a large role. And there’s reason to believe that staff will give Dowdle one as well. He spent several years with Mike McCarthy, and really exploded with him in 2024 with 1,079 rushing yards on an efficient 4.6 yards per carry.
He followed that with another successful season in Carolina last year, coming just three yards short of his 2024 total and finding the end zone six times. Although Dowdle will turn 28 next year, he’s got a lot less mileage than many other running backs his age. Because he was saw the field sparingly during the first handful of seasons in Dallas, he’s only run the ball 567 times at the NFL level.
For Johnson, it’s a brutal situation. And while he deserves blame for that kickoff blunder, it’s tough to see how that’s hurt his young career since. He probably wasn’t going to win a ton of carries over Warren and Gainwell last year anyway. But there was simply no way for him to build any momentum with how inconsistently he was used. Even if that might have been the right decision by the team.
That said, things aren’t over for Kaleb Johnson. Plenty of third-round picks have had rough rookie seasons and still found ways to bounce back. And Johnson may end up seeing the field more often if Warren or Dowdle suffer injuries. Regardless, Johnson has to take advantage whenever his next opportunity comes.
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