Steelers A to Z: Is Kaleb Johnson the featured back or a complementary RB as a rookie?

Editor’s note: From now until reporting day to training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2025 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 12 and July 23. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

RB KALEB JOHNSON

Experience/age: Rookie, turns 22 in August

Contract status: $1.16 million cap hit in 2025, signed through 2028

The past: As a junior last season, Johnson led the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,537), rushing touchdowns (21) and rushing yards per game (128.1). A consensus second-team all-America, he was named the Big Ten’s running back of the year. This came after freshman and sophomore seasons in 2022 and 2023 in which he totaled 1,242 yards and nine touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 224-pound Johnson was the sixth running back selected in the April draft, going in the third round at No. 83 overall to the Steelers.

Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson: 6-foot, 225 pounds

Will make his money as an elite fit in a zone running scheme: patient, decisive, plays with great vision

But also a real factor in the passing game

This 2025 RB class is loaded beyond words pic.twitter.com/VG7X8dcAne

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 23, 2025

2025 outlook: Johnson joins the Steelers just as they let their featured back from the last four seasons, Najee Harris, depart as a free agent. Harris was a first-round pick who provided reliable but unspectacular production. Johnson similarly profiles as a first- and second-down back, which both speaks well to his potential impact as a rookie and also would complement the skills of established so-called “third-down backs” Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.

Warren, though, received a significant raise and is in the pole position to take over as the “lead” back. He is in the final year of his contract, though, so Johnson will be given an opportunity to show he can be the longterm answer as the Steelers RB1. So far, during organized team activities and minicamp, Johnson is making a positive impression on coaches and teammates. His attitude is such that he is embracing work and tasks such as improving on the weaknesses in his game (i.e., pass protection).

Time will tell, of course, but Johnson appears to have the tools to be the next lead Steelers running back. But even if he quickly shows he does, it’s a matter of whether that begins in 2025 or 2026.