Analysts have argued second-year running back Kaleb Johnson is firmly on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster bubble this month. While head coach Mike McCarthy didn’t use those terms, he appeared to implied that might be the running back’s reality.
McCarthy addressed the young running back’s status Wednesday. The head coach stressed he could play a lot in the final two preseason games and suggested a roster spot could be on the line.
“He’ll play Friday night and hopefully play a bunch up in Buffalo,” McCarthy told reporters. “We do. We really want to focus on the younger part of our team and give these guys a chance to make our squad.”
The implication, of course, being Johnson has yet to make the squad.
That would certainly be what playing a lot in the preseason finale would suggest. Players who are already on the roster don’t need snaps in that game.
It sounds like Johnson will need them and have to play well to earn a roster spot.
Running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are locks to make Pittsburgh’s roster. Including Johnson, four other running backs are battling for one or two other roster spots to open the regular season.
Mike McCarthy Jokes About Kaleb Johnson’s Opportunities
GettyPittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy addressed how the team will use running back Kaleb Johnson in Week 2 of the NFL preseason.
The Steelers featured Lew Nichols and Eli Heidenreich the most often in the backfield during the preseason opener. One could argue that was actually a good sign for Johnson.
But unlike Warren and Dowdle, who didn’t dress, Johnson was ready to play and simply didn’t get many opportunities. He played three snaps and ran for three yards on two rushing attempts.
On Wednesday, McCarthy poked fun at himself as a play-caller when asked about Johnson’s lack of opportunities last week.
“If the guy calling the plays would run the ball more, I think it’d help him out,” said McCarthy with a smirk. “So, we’ll just continue to work that way. But yeah, I mean, he’ll play.”
Unless the Steelers have already made their decision on Johnson, he should receive a lot more opportunities than just two carries the rest of the month. He’s in danger of losing his roster spot just a year after being a third-round rookie.
A lot of pundits predicted he would be a breakout star as a starter in 2025. Instead, he ran for only 69 yards on 28 carries, averaging 2.5 yards per attempt. He also caught one pass for nine yards.
Johnson was a healthy scratch in every game after December 15.
Steelers RB Depth Chart Entering Preseason Week 2
GettyThe Pittsburgh Steelers have six running backs on their training camp roster.
The Steelers have six running backs on their training camp roster. Under normal circumstances, excluding Warren and Dowdle, that would leave the team two spots for four running backs.
But rookie fullback Riley Nowakowski complicates things. He will very likely make the roster as one of the team’s running backs.
That leaves four running backs for one spot. Those four backs are Johnson, Nichols, Heidenreich and Travis Homer.
Some pundits see Homer as holding the edge over the other three because of his special teams experience. Homer has experience returning kicks but also on the kick coverage teams.
Filling multiple roles is a key attribute for the depth players on every NFL roster.
Johnson failed at returning kickoffs last season, and he’s not going to cover kicks/punts. So for him to make the roster, he might have to be significantly better offensively than Homer and the other backs.
Johnson should get the opportunity in the final two preseason games to prove he is significantly better. Fir up are the New York Jets on Friday, August 21 at 7 pm ET.
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