Johnson is off to a strong start at training camp, but offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner is tempering expectations, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports. "I've been through the entire process of Emmanuel (Sanders) and AB and Mike Wallace," Fichtner said. "But they all needed (the) weight room, they all needed a redshirt year, if you could."
Fichtner specifically mentioned that the rookie third-round pick needs to add 10 pounds of muscle to his 5-foot-11, 183-pound frame. Johnson's combine metrics -- 4.53 40, 33.5-inch vertical, 11.54 agility score -- are disappointing for an undersized wide receiver, but he has a reputation for excellent route running after he caught 123 passes for 2,039 yards and 21 TDs over his final two seasons at Toledo. The open competition for wideout roles behind JuJu Smith-Schuster presents a nice opportunity, though Fichtner makes an interesting point about other smallish receivers in Pittsburgh being limited to part-time roles during their rookie seasons. Donte Moncrief (finger) opened training camp working alongside Smith-Schuster with the first-team offense.