Steelers reportedly trading second-year RB Kaleb Johnson to Packers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading running back Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler .

Johnson was selected by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he played in 10 games. In a crowded backfield consisting of Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell, Johnson tallied only 28 carries for 69 yards.

While Gainwell left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, Pittsburgh replaced him with Rico Dowdle. That reunited Dowdle with head coach Mike McCarthy, with whom he spent five years with the Dallas Cowboys from 2020 through 2024.

Johnson felt like the odd man out, and Green Bay took the chance to add to its running back room.

Packers starting running back Josh Jacobs was added to the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday afternoon. He will not be allowed to practice or play in games while on the list, and the league can still issue a suspension.

The Packers can develop Johnson and he could be someone the team turns to if Jacobs is handed a lengthy suspension at the start of the season.

With every team done with preseason games, the focus is on trimming 90-player preseason rosters down to a 53-man roster by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Rather than cutting Johnson, Pittsburgh traded him to Green Bay, likely for some draft capital, though the return has not yet been reported.

In a corresponding move, the Packers waived RB Pierre Strong Jr., per NFL insider Jordan Schultz .

Along with Jacobs, Green Bay's running back room will consist of some combination of Johnson, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Damien Martinez and Jaden Nixon, depending on what other roster cuts the team makes Sunday.

For Pittsburgh, it appears that Warren and Dowdle will lead the backfield. After them, the Steelers will have Travis Horner, Lew Nichols, and Eli Heidenreich.