When the Pittsburgh Steelers let veteran running back Najee Harris walk in free agency, they were aiming to upgrade the running back position through the 2025 NFL Draft and in free agency. All the while, they were letting a durable, consistent back from a run-first offense hit the open market.
Ultimately, the Steelers signed Kenneth Gainwell in free agency, elevated Jaylen Warren to the RB1 role, and drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round. The Iowa product was deemed the perfect fit for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s zone rushing attack, but so far the early returns on Johnson haven’t been all that promising.