Steelers predicted to part ways with Kaleb Johnson in disaster draft outcome

Kaleb Johnson was a prolific running back at the University of Iowa.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the hope was that he could make some immediate impact while eventually growing toward a role as a bellcow running back.

Instead, he might not even get a second season in the Steel City.

ESPN's latest 53-man roster projection has Johnson getting cut.

In that predicted team, the Steelers keep three RBs: Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and Travis Homer.

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It would be a huge blow for Johnson's chances of NFL success, although maybe this is already a case of needing a change of scenery.

Johnson played in 10 games as a rookie. 

He totaled 28 carries for 69 yards, an average of just 2.5 yards per carry.

He was targeted just twice, catching one of those for nine yards.

He also had a costly kickoff return fumble that hurt Pittsburgh.

Johnson, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, never looked like he had the burst to make plays as a rookie.

He's still just 22 (23 on August 14), and so there will be folks out there who still believe in his potential.

But if the Steelers cut him already, that'd be a truly disastrous outcome for a player that only a year ago they were really counting on.

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