With the preseason and training camp now in the rearview mirror for the Pittsburgh Steelers, there are tough decisions ahead. They must shrink their current 90-man group into a 53-man roster, with some players being added to the practice squad. Only so many spots are up for grabs, and for players like Kaleb Johnson, it could lead to unemployment within the next few days.
For one reason or another, things just haven't panned out for Johnson since he was drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round last year. He went from a potential draft-day steal to a potential bust within a calendar year. Many had high hopes for the running back to turn things around going into this summer, but the opposite happened.
He could be leaving the Steelers when final roster cuts are announced.
Throughout the preseason, Kaleb Johnson saw his snap count continue to rise as each game passed by. Normally, that is bad news, especially when a player gets plenty of chances in the final preseason matchup. We will see how things shake out for the recent third-round draft pick. Kaleb Johnson did show some promise as a pass protector, but he didn't seem to do enough in other facets of his game.
An unproductive preseason could force the Pittsburgh Steelers to make Kaleb Johnson part of roster cuts
Going into training camp, it was clear that the Steelers had a battle at the third, and likely final, spot at the running back position. Johnson started as the favorite to win that job, but the players behind him on the depth chart have given him a run for his money. Both Travis Homer and Lew Nichols bring unique skill sets to the club, and it might force Johnson off the team once and for all.
When you review the former high draft picks numbers during the preseason, it's troublesome.
He produced 53 rushing yards off of 17 carries. He didn't have many opportunities to run with the football in general, but that was one of the higher numbers of rushing attempts compared to other running backs this preseason. None of them stood out this summer, and that could be a result of the poor offensive line play.
At the end of the day, you'd love to see your former third-round pick figure things out. Maybe the struggles along the offensive line did hinder him, but he needs to show that he can break a run at least once during the preseason. Kaleb Johnson couldn't do that, and his inability to show effective special teams snaps only hinders his roster chances further.
Things look bleak regarding his odds of sticking around.
Don't be shocked if Johnson does hold onto a roster spot because of his draft pedigree, but there are others on the team breathing down his neck. Travis Homer and Lew Nichols should be considered the favorites if Johnson is supplanted. One name to also consider is Eli Heidenreich, who showed some good play this summer and is coming off his best preseason game during their finale in Buffalo.
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