Moving on from a third-round pick just one season after selecting him would be an indictment on the Pittsburgh Steelers front office. It's insane to see how quickly Kaleb Johnson's stock within the organization has fallen during the past year. He had a rookie campaign that was one to forget, and this training camp and preseason haven't quieted those who were concerned about his chances.
With the final 53-man roster decisions needing to be made in the coming days, it will be up to Kaleb Johnson to make one final showing of why he deserves to stick around.
Any sort of slip-up could see the team have no other choice but to consider cutting him or trading him. With him being a former highly sought-after prospect during the 2025 NFL Draft, Johnson should have interest if he hits the trade block.
Pittsburgh Steelers could have trade interest in Kaleb Johnson if he doesn't make the roster
Jacksonville Jaguars
After losing Travis Etienne during free agency, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a crowded group of question marks at running back. Although Kaleb Johnson wouldn't give them a sure-fire answer at the position, he would only strengthen that group. He remains a young and unproven back, but the Jaguars could use his abilities in a tandem role in the backfield to help boost their offense.
San Francisco 49ers
As long as Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy, the 49ers should be relatively okay at the position. The issue is that McCaffrey often gets injured, and the rest of the running back depth chart is banged up. Perhaps a trade call to the Steelers could help secure some insurance by landing Johnson.
It could be a nice solution as Johnson gets a new opportunity, and Pittsburgh gets value in return for a player who might've just been a roster cut anyway.
Las Vegas Raiders
Everyone knows the Raiders have a star running back in Ashton Jeanty, but after a near-injury disaster in practice, Las Vegas might want better depth. Kaleb Johnson isn't as talented as Jeanty, but he could be solid as a backup. With a young quarterback invested on their roster, it would be best to infuse as many talented offensive weapons onto the team as humanly possible for the Raiders.
Dallas Cowboys
You could make an argument that the Dallas Cowboys have one of the best offensive units in the NFL. One of the weaker groups on their team remains at running back. We know the Cowboys aren't afraid to swing some trades, and maybe Kaleb Johnson is next up on their list to target.
Bringing Johnson into the mix to pair with Javonte Williams could provide a dynamic running back tandem.
Houston Texans
After bouncing the Steelers from the playoffs, they came up short in their Super Bowl aspirations. CJ Stroud didn't take the next step in his development, but having a strong group of running backs could help him out. The Texans have Woody Marks and David Montgomery in place as a strong duo, but they could consider making it a deadly trio by adding Kaleb Johnson to their roster via trade.
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