Steelers, Cowboys Trade Could Be Perfect

PITTSBURGH -- With training camp just weeks away for the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the biggest storylines to watch is the running back competition. No, not the battle for the starting role between Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. As exciting as that will be, the team is clearly aiming to use both backs heavily in 2026.

One running back the Steelers have no apparent interest in using, however, is second-year player Kaleb Johnson. The 2025 third-round pick enters camp as the presumptive third back on the depth chart, but the consensus across the Steelers On SI team and Steelers media is that Johnson might not even make the 53-man roster.

That looks like an opportunity for some, like the Dallas Cowboys. Locked On Cowboys and Fansided NFL writer Marcus Mosher recently shared on X that he views Johnson as a potential target for America's Team and explained why.

"Kaleb Johnson would be an interesting flyer for the #Cowboys," he wrote via his X account. "If they want another young back on a rookie contract."

Kaleb Johnson would be an interesting flyer for the #Cowboys if they want another young back on a rookie contract.

(I also highly doubt Rodgers is going to want Dowdle on the field over Warren). https://t.co/aJ3COmjvX5
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) July 8, 2026

Would Steelers Deal Johnson?

Without a doubt, the Steelers would trade Johnson if they had a partner. After a disappointing rookie season, his place in the organization felt unsteady at best. During the offseason, the Steelers brought in plenty of positional competition, putting his spot on the roster even further in jeopardy. They added veteran Travis Homer via free agency and drafted local success story Eli Heidenreich, who spent OTAs and minicamp working primarily as a running back.

That's a lot of players fighting for the third running back role in Pittsburgh. Seems to me they would be happy to take one of those options out of the equation.

May 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) participates in OTA drills at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What is Johnson's Trade Value?

If you watched Johnson's 2025 season up close, it's hard to belive that the young back has any market value. Yes, he remains uber-talented and comes with tons of potential. But is that enough? Plenty of guys have those same talents, but they are able to put it all together at the next level. So far, he hasn't been able to do that and it's costing him his spot in Pittsburgh.

But another franchise might view the talent and upside he possesses as the overruling factor. They might view the Steelers as the reason why Johnson struggled early in his NFL career, and in the right circumstance, he could find success.

The Cowboys certainly have a need for young runners as they re-establish their backfield. Johnson seemingly has no future in Pittsburgh, so a trade to Dallas might be best for both sides.

The ugly truth for the Steelers is that this deal will be underwhelming. Don't expect a return on investment. If the Cowboys acquired Johnson, it will be for a sixth or seventh-round pick in 2027, and nothing more. Still, it would solve a problem for both sides.

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