The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a trade that'll send running back Kaleb Johnson to Lambeau Field, according to ESPN. Johnson himself confirmed the trade to Green Bay, posting on his Instagram story, "Appreciate it, Steelers Nation. Let's do it, Packers." The compensation that will be heading back to Pittsburgh will be a 2028 sixth-round pick, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. That 2028 sixth is Green Bay's own selection and not the one they recently acquired from the Miami Dolphins.
The Steelers selected Johnson with the 83rd overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The now 23-year-old played his college ball at Iowa, where he earned consensus All-American honors in 2024 and was also named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year that season. Johnson's pro career, however, hasn't been as fruitful. A miscue on special teams early in his rookie season last year derailed any sort of immediate ascent up the Pittsburgh backfield depth chart.
Johnson appeared in 10 games (no starts) and rushed 28 times for 69 yards, while catching one of his two targets on the year for 9 yards. He has yet to score a touchdown.
With Mike McCarthy now in as head coach in Pittsburgh, Johnson found himself part of the previous regime and on the outside looking in on a potential roster spot. Along with veteran Jayen Warren, who served as the primary starter for the Steelers last season, the organization signed fellow vet Rico Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million deal in free agency. Those two were locked in as the top options in the rushing attack, making Johnson expendable.
Meanwhile, Johnson arrives to a Green Bay team that finds itself in a state of uncertainty atop its running back depth chart. Josh Jacobs is the clear-cut starter when available, but the former first-team All-Pro back was charged with two misdemeanors for battery and damage to property stemming from a May arrest and was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday.
That leaves Jacobs facing potential punishment from the league, and he has since been placed on the commissioner's exempt list. Behind Jacobs, the Packers' running back room is headlined by Marshawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks, along with the arriving Johnson.
Kaleb Johnson trade grades
Packers: B+
With Jacobs now on the commissioner's exempt list, it makes sense why the Packers decided to pursue Johnson, and it has proven to be a pretty savvy maneuver by the front office to gain some added insurance to the backfield. On top of merely giving themselves options for however long Jacobs may be out, Green Bay is taking a flyer on Johnson, who was well regarded in college and was a Day 2 pick not that long ago, so there's still plenty of upside. He also comes at minimal financial cost, with Spotrac noting Johnson brings a three-year, $3.25 million (non-guaranteed) contract with him to the Packers. Given the circumstances, this was a solid move for the Packers, who added not only a body to deepen the backfield but also a prospect with potential.
Steelers: C
It's always tough moving on from a player you selected during Day 2 of the NFL Draft this early in his tenure. That said, the Steelers have an entirely new coaching staff from the one that was in place when Johnson arrived, and the addition of Dowdle earlier this offseason was likely the writing on the wall that he wasn't long for the organization. With Johnson likely being waived had Pittsburgh not found a trade partner, at least the organization was able to get something back from him, albeit a middling Day 3 pick.
