Steelers Rookie RB Kaleb Johnson Hit With SHOCKING First Major Obstacle at Training Camp That Could Define His NFL Future

In terms of transitioning from college to the NFL, running backs tend to have an easier time making an early impact than a lot of other positions, but there is still one major hurdle to overcome, and Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Kaleb Johnson is working through it right now at training camp.

“From virtually the moment he was drafted, rookie Kaleb Johnson has been waiting for backs on ‘backers — a one-on-one pass protection drill that tests a running back’s ability to pick up blitzes,” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo wrote after practice on July 30.

Continuing: “Because Johnson played in a run-heavy offense that was often under center at Iowa, that area of his game isn’t as refined as his patient running style. But if he wants to become a three-down back who can stay on the field in all situations, development in this area is critical. That made Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first day in pads, an early measuring stick.”

According to DeFabo, it was a “rough” introduction into NFL pass protection for Johnson.

Linebacker Malik Harrison beat the rookie on three straight reps of “backs on ‘backers” on Wednesday, but the good thing is, Johnson appears to be intent on getting better.

“The best thing about him is his attitude, and he ran to that fight,” projected starting RB Jaylen Warren said of Johnson, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

Later, the draft pick had a “more competitive rep” in this drill against fellow rookie and linebacker Carson Bruener. Pryor even called it a win for Johnson, but DeFabo was a tougher judge.

“The running back fought hard during a more competitive rep, but his hands were up around Bruener’s neck,” DeFabo relayed. “[Johnson] must continue to hone his hand placement in blocking situations.”

Kaleb Johnson & Steelers Rushing Attack Stymied at Training Camp

It wasn’t the best day for the offense overall, according to multiple reports, but the running game had a particularly tough time against a new and improved Steelers’ run defense.

After stating that there was “nowhere to run” on Wednesday, DeFabo provided more detail.

“On Day 1 in pads, Pittsburgh’s run defense stifled the first-team offense, stopping almost every run with little or no gain,” he reported, initially complimenting the defense for their performance.

“Of course, in a Steelers-versus-Steelers setting, every win for the defense means a loss for the offense,” DeFabo added later. “After Day 1, there’s a lot of room for improvement from an offense that wants to win games at the line of scrimmage.”

Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith hinted this spring that his unit will throw the ball more than usual with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but the backbone of his scheme’s identity is still running the football. This area must get better as we get closer to Week 1.

Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell ‘Clearly’ Ahead of Johnson in Pass Protection, as is Jaylen Warren

Looking at the running back depth chart early on, the assumption is that the top three will be Warren, Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell. After Cordarrelle Patterson’s release, the RB4 spot — if there is one — would then be determined by a training camp competition between Trey Sermon, Evan Hull, rookie Max Hurleman and newcomer Lew Nichols.

While it’s pretty safe to say that the plan is for Johnson to take over this backfield long-term, it’s unclear how quickly head coach Mike Tomlin and Smith will turn to the rookie. And one early determinant of his readiness could be pass protection.

As of now, Johnson is at least third in that regard.

“As he looks to carve out a niche as a third-down back, Gainwell is clearly ahead of Johnson in pass protection,” DeFabo noted on July 30. Obviously, Warren is, too, considering he’s well-known for his pass-blocking prowess.

That means Johnson could have a hard time finding snaps over the first half of the season — let’s say the plan is to give Warren the ball on early downs out of the gates.

Eventually, it would make sense to run Johnson on first and second down, and shift Warren back to his former role as the primary third-down back. But the Steelers could start the year with more of a Warren-to-Gainwell-led approach.