Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson just proved he won't be leaving Pittsburgh without a fight following major offseason transformation

Kaleb Johnson is fighting for his football livelihood when training camp starts next week, but he’s not going in on a whim. He’s transformed his body heading into his sophomore season, and the optimism is high.

Kaleb Johnson knows the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ running back room is more crowded than it was a year ago. The second-year back has spent the offseason transforming his body, and if the early returns from workouts are any indication, he understands the stakes heading into training camp. The Steelers added real competition this spring, and Johnson’s path to the 53-man roster will require a complete reversal from a disappointing rookie campaign.

The running back room got deeper in a hurry

Pittsburgh made it clear that running back depth was a priority this offseason. Jaylen Warren remains the top name in the room, but the Steelers went out and signed Rico Dowdle as one of their marquee free agent additions. They also brought in Travis Homer as a depth piece later in the process. Then came the draft, where the Steelers selected Eli Heidenreich in the 7th round.

A lot of fans will look at a 7th-round pick and wonder what kind of contribution he can realistically make. I believe Heidenreich will be a weapon for Pittsburgh. In my opinion, he’s going to make the roster. That reality only tightens the math for Johnson, who now finds himself competing against established veterans and a hungry late-round pick for one of the final spots on the team.

Mike McCarthy has given Johnson a clean slate

The good news for Johnson is that coach Mike McCarthy has publicly expressed support. McCarthy said he looks forward to having Johnson on the team and seeing what he can do, and that last season is in the past - Johnson has a fresh start.

That being said, a clean slate only goes so far. What happened last year cannot happen again. A slow start to training camp, a rough preseason, and a costly mental error during the regular season combined to derail Johnson’s rookie year. If any of those issues resurface, the Steelers have enough options in the room to move on.

What Johnson needs to do to survive cuts

The bottom line is that effort and physical preparation will only carry Johnson so far. He has to translate the offseason body transformation into on-field production when it counts. If he comes into camp looking dominant and avoids the mistakes that plagued him a year ago, there is no question that he can earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

The Steelers have built a running back group with legitimate depth, and that’s a good thing for the franchise. For Johnson, it means the margin for error is razor thin. This is a reclamation project, and camp will tell us whether the work he put in this summer was enough to keep his career in Pittsburgh alive.

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