Kaleb Johnson Mock Trades: What the Pittsburgh Steelers could realistically receive in return for the second-year running back
Kaleb Johnson appears to be on thin ice, to say the least, in Pittsburgh. But if the Steelers really are going to move on from Johnson before his second season even begins, they should try to recoup some draft capital. Here’s a look at what they could receive.
Unless the Pittsburgh Steelers are just shelving Kaleb Johnson for the regular season, the writing may be on the wall for the second year back out of Iowa. After a rocky start to his career that ended with him in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse, the thought was that a new staff and a new scheme would be fruitful for the third-round pick. Mike McCarthy said as much.
Then training camp came, and there were some moments, but the past weekend was a stark realization. Johnson played just five snaps, yes, five against the Packers in preseason Week 1. He was the third backup behind Lew Nichols and Travis Homer, meaning he would have been at best the fifth back in the rotation. Well, on Sunday, in a practice that turned out to be the Steelers’ finale in Latrobe, Johnson was the last man up in drills, behind rookie Eli Heidenreich. So the optics of the situation aren’t great, leaving some to wonder if his time in Pittsburgh has come to an end. To prepare for such a reality, I asked two colleagues of mine at A to Z Sports, Tyler Forness and Wendell Ferreira, to send mock trade offers. While not very valuable, this is probably the best the Steelers could get. Let’s dive in.
49ers get insurance for Christian McCaffrey
Trade offer: 49ers send a conditional 2028 7th-round pick (conditional on being on the roster on Week 1)
“This is a very interesting situation the Steelers have themselves in. Johnson had a great final season at Iowa, which got him selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He never got off the ground in Pittsburgh and doesn’t have any major trait.”
“What Johnson is as a player is quite simple: he’s a Shanahan wide zone running back. It also makes him relatively replaceable, which further reduces his value. The Steelers seem done with Johnson, which makes the future seventh-round pick with the contingency of being on the roster something that makes sense.” – Forness
Kaleb Johnson 2025 stats
- 28 total carries
- 69 rushing yards (2.5 yards per carry)
- 0 touchdowns
Jaguars add depth after losing Travis Ettiene
Trade offer: Jaguars get Kaleb Johnson, Steelers get a 2027 conditional 7th-round pick (upgrades to a 6th if Johnson is active for at least three games in 2026)
“The Jaguars lost Travis Etienne in free agency and haven’t necessarily replaced him. Yes, they signed Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Ameer Abdullah, and these players will compete for reps and touches with Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, two draft picks from last year. But adding a former third-round pick with three years left on his rookie deal, despite fair questions around his actual talent level, for a minimal investment would make sense.” – Ferreira
Which offer wins?
Using basic economic principles in relation to draft capital, this should be an easy decision given the present value of the 2027 7th vs the 2028 7th, especially with the conditions being relatively even.
However, I’m going to put on Omar Khan’s cap for a second and do right by the player. I’m going to take Tyler’s offer and send him to San Francisco, where I know that if Johnson has an ounce of NFL-caliber play in him, Kyle Shanahan will find a way to bring it out.
Because the offers are fairly even and, let’s be real, not very substantial, getting Johnson to the other conference and in a better situation is the move I would make.
