It's not often that the Pittsburgh Steelers turn the page on a third-round draft pick a year after he was drafted, but that's the direction we appear to be headed with Kaleb Johnson. It's not that Johnson can't stick around in Pittsburgh; it's that it's nearly impossible to figure out a role for the young running back.
The Steelers are paying both Jaylen Warren and newcomer Rico Dowdle roughly $6 million each per season, per Over the Cap. Dowdle is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing performances, while Warren recorded 1,291 scrimmage yards last season. These two will make up the vast majority of the team's rushing attack in 2026.
Meanwhile, Johnson struggled as a rookie and, unfortunately, he hasn't done much to stand out during training camp. The Steelers have two choices: either they let Johnson ride the bench and call on him for what could prove to be adequate production in the event of an injury, or they can cut their losses and try to get a draft pick by trading a player they don't plan on using.
Quite frankly, option 'B' sounds enticing at this point, and these potential suitors make sense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could trade Kaleb Johnson to one of these three teams in need of running back depth
Atlanta Falcons
With Bijan Robinson earning a massive contract extension recently, no backup running back is going to be in line for much work in Atlanta (barring an injury), but the Falcons still need a running back who could spell Robinson for carries now and then.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the Falcons have just Tyler Goodson and Nathan Carter to turn to for running back depth. Atlanta runs a wide zone offense with heavy play-action concepts, so this is ideal for Johnson. It would be a nice fit, offering youth and depth to the Falcons' running back room while putting a Day 3 pick in the Steelers' pocket for next April.
New York Giants
The Giants saw what their running game looked like after rookie Cam Skattebo suffered a gruesome right ankle injury last season. They will want to be more prepared this time around. Skattebo is itching to get back on the field, but the Giants' new head coach, John Harbaugh, may want to limit his usage.
Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary both were unspectacular in Skattebo's absence last year. Though Harbaugh and the Giants plan to have a downhill power gap scheme, Johnson is a big-bodied back (6'1'', 224 pounds) who might actually do his best work going north and south. At the very least, he would add to the competition behind Skattebo and have a chance to carve out a role in the backfield rotation.
Philadelphia Eagles
Like the Falcons, the Philadelphia Eagles are hardly in need of a starting running back. Saquon Barkley might not be the player he was a few years back when he was the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year, but he's still the workhorse back. However, the Eagles could desperately use improved depth at running back.
Tank Bigsby had a bounce-back season last year after being traded from the Jaguars to the Eagles for a late-round pick swap, but RB Will Shipley has averaged just 3.0 yards per carry over his first two seasons. There's room for Johnson to make the team, and the Eagles are suckers for players who were high-profile prospects coming into the league.
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