Steelers RB Signing is Bad News for Kaleb Johnson

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers just added another name to their backfield. Travis Homer is headed to the black and gold this season after spending the last three years with the Chicago Bears and the four years before that with the Seattle Seahawks.

Homer doesn't come to the Steelers with much to show on offense. His best season came in 2021 with 177 rushing yards and a touchdown. But that's still better than Kaleb Johnson's 69-yard rookie campaign, and entering Year Two, the former third-round pick might already be in trouble of making the roster.

Nov 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) stiff arms Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Johnson's rookie season was littered with mistakes and a lack of confidence. The team eventually made him inactive on game days because of it, making it clear that he wasn't part of the plan in 2025. In 2026, they made it clear that he still wasn't a big piece of the offense, signing Rico Dowdle to be the 1B next to Jaylen Warren.

At best, Johnson is looking at a RB3 placement in 2025, unless he comes into training camp looking like a completely different player.

Why Homer is a Threat to Johnson

What makes Homer a threat is the real reason he's in Pittsburgh. The signing wasn't to help the offense, but rather special teams. The kick and punt coverage specialist isn't a return man but has played over 150 special teams snaps in all but two of his seven seasons. He's played over 60% of his team's special teams snaps in four of the last five seasons.

That's an area Johnson doesn't thrive in. He's not a kickoff specialist and lost his job as a returner last season after an unfortunate mistake led to a touchdown for the opposing team in Week 2. He never reclaimed the spot and never became a contributor on coverage, meaning his only usage is offense, which doesn't offer much for a team with two starting running backs.

Homer probably comes to the Steelers to replace Connor Heyward, who left for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. A halfback-style player who excels on special teams. But he's not going to take up a tight end spot, and the team still needs to sign another player at the position, still.

Johnson's job now has competition and he now either needs to become the dominant running back he was at Iowa, or be able to contribute on special teams. Otherwise, he may not add enough value to make the Steelers' roster in 2026.

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