The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to build towards the future, and they have done well with a lot of these player acquisitions, whether it be via the draft, free agency, or trade. Of course, there are some decisions that have not panned out, like Roman Wilson, but the hope is that a new coaching staff can help unlock the potential of some of these guys. It seems to be working well for Wilson, so why can't it help others develop and become the player that they were expected to be when they were drafted?
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Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson sets up as he prepares to go through a play while the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
It's not just Wilson that seems to be growing with this new scheme. In a conversation with Tim Benz of TribLive, standout offensive tackle Troy Fautanu gave a lot of praise to another player that has seemingly been forgotten about by the previous coaching staff.
"Kaleb [Johnson] is growing a lot, man," Fautanu said. "Just speaking on him and the strides that he’s making this offseason, he just seems super locked in."
Everyone remembers the blunder that Kaleb Johnson had in Week 2 of the 2025 season, when he forgot the rules of the kickoff and allowed the Seattle Seahawks to get a free touchdown. That was extremely idiotic, and he likely should not have been on kickoff return in the first place, which is true. However, the Steelers still handled that whole issue poorly.
In large part because of his blunder, Johnson was not given a real chance to prove that he was better than that one play. He came in for garbage-time snaps here and there, but that was it for the most part. He was never able to truly redeem himself as he got minimal snaps, which led to questions about whether he would even be on the team in Week 1 of the 2026 season.
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Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Luckily, Johnson can get a fresh start with a brand-new coaching staff. Expectations are still that he will be the RB3 on the depth chart, but that doesn't mean that he has to just sit on the bench until the game gets out of hand for either side in the fourth quarter. As long as he keeps doing what Fautanu says he's doing, he can force himself onto the field and be a real part of the running back-by-committee (RBBC).
It's great to hear that he has been making "strides" in his development so far, but it can't stop now. Johnson will get plenty of chances to prove himself throughout training camp and in preseason games. That's where he has to go off and show everyone how good he truly is. The former third-round pick has to stay locked in, even after he finally earns the trust of his peers and coaches.
Steelers' Running Back Room Is Bad News For Johnson
Despite his draft stock, Johnson has to work harder because of his competition. Travis Homer was signed in free agency because he provides a lot of value on special teams, including working as a returner and a gunner. The second-year running back does not have that kind of ability, so that puts him at a massive disadvantage from the word "go." Being a little better than Homer is not good enough.
Meanwhile, the Steelers have been flaunting rookie Eli Heidenreich to the media, almost like they want him to make the team and see some real-game action. On top of that, he has special teams value like Homer while also being a versatile player. There's no doubt that Pittsburgh is excited about the potential of this kid, but that excitement does not seem to be there for Johnson, at least yet.
What do you think about Fautanu praising Johnson's development up to this point? Will he finally get the chance to prove everyone wrong? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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