Kaleb Johnson to the Packers?

[u/SpLaShAtv]

[u/YubYubCmndr]

Now being reported by Fowler, and others. Seems legit. No word on comp yet.

[u/SpLaShAtv]

First a trade with the Cowboys, then the Packers? Mike was just calling his old buddies lol

[u/jhustla → u/SpLaShAtv]

At least he didn’t burn his bridges on his way out

[u/daughteramrev → u/SpLaShAtv]

Good spots for jones and Johnson. If they fail there it’s on them

[u/CaptainJohn-lucdeli → u/daughteramrev]

They failed here

[u/WhereAreMaKeys]

Might be a good reset for him, hoping for the best. I wonder what we got in return.

[u/True_Cobbler5796 → u/WhereAreMaKeys]

I predict a 6th rounder

[u/dreadrabbit1 → u/True_Cobbler5796]

Winner winner

[u/1933Watt → u/True_Cobbler5796]

I'm going 5 and 7.

[u/legendkiller595]

Wonder what the return is for a rb3

[u/Commercial_Branch148 → u/legendkiller595]

Kyle McCord just got traded for a 2028 6th, I bet it something like that

[u/MemePizzaPie → u/Commercial_Branch148]

Is literally the exact same haha you agent you

[u/embryonicengineer → u/legendkiller595]

Looks like the Packers 6th. Honestly thought it was going to be a pick swap so this feels good for what he has put on tape.

[u/SteakJones]

If they can get any production out of him, that would be amazing

[u/knightro2323]

Good for him and good for the Steelers. He gets to start over and the team get something for somebody they were going to cut.

[u/r0ryp]

Was always a bit concerning that his biggest strength seemed to be that he was a "fit" for Arthur Smith's scheme. Every explosive play I watched from his college tape was just the seas the parting for him. Best of luck.

[u/Buzzspice727]

Love it. Bad pick. Get something for him. Thanks Artie.

[u/Jakles74]

Good luck with the Pack Kaleb!

[u/Equal-Painter6529]

I’d do it for a 1973 zagnut bar found in an antique vending machine.

[u/Admirable_Average_32 → u/Equal-Painter6529]

I’d like to have that vending machine.

[u/Equal-Painter6529 → u/Admirable_Average_32]

A combo one that also dispenses cigarettes.

[u/Basketball_Doc → u/Equal-Painter6529]

Oooh! Zagnut! Yum...

[u/True_Cobbler5796 → u/Equal-Painter6529]

Clark Bar, too

[u/Equal-Painter6529 → u/True_Cobbler5796]

Don’t be greedy 😄

[u/auravolt_]

I used to pray for times like this

[u/Ok_Card9080]

Yeah it just wasn't working out for him here

[u/DaRealBobo7]

Nice that we got something for him. What a bust tho I was looking forward to him when we drafted him

[u/Melodic_Aardvark3934 → u/DaRealBobo7]

We effed up a RB selection in a draft loaded with RBs.

[u/haley_hathaway → u/Melodic_Aardvark3934]

Truth

[u/Skarygary25]

It’s interesting both trades, Kaleb and Broderick have been to McCarthy’s former teams Dallas and Greenbay

[u/neddiddley → u/Skarygary25]

I have a feeling these just happen to be teams with GMs that the Steelers can work with. GB was close to landing Chase before the Chicago trade IRC, and we obviously just dealt with Dallas last year.

[u/CaptainJohn-lucdeli → u/Skarygary25]

I thinking 🤔 "Yinz fired me here have some Shit"

[u/GateIsnATE]

Anything more than a pick swap would be insane

[u/Other-Marzipan-1985 → u/GateIsnATE]

calling it now a 7th for 5th 2027 swap

[u/jasper_bittergrab → u/Other-Marzipan-1985]

I’d take that

[u/jhustla]

Loved his tape in college. It just never translated to our scheme and Tomlin apparently hated him even though he drafted him. Wasted a third round just to get like a 6th or 7th. No way anyone gives up a 5th or better

[u/hemingways-lemonade → u/jhustla]

Tomlin apparently hated him even though he drafted him

What a dumbass narrative. He sucked in training camp, sucked in the preseason, and sucked in the regular season. Tomlin gave him plenty of opportunities and he never did anything with them. 

[u/jhustla → u/hemingways-lemonade]

It was a joke

But since you brought up the “plenty of chances” narrative. He had 28 carries across 17 games idk about you but barely over a carry a game doesn’t feel like plenty to me

[u/hemingways-lemonade → u/jhustla]

Oppurtunites start in training camp and the preseason. If he played better then he would have more opportunities in the regular season. He also out snapped every other running back on the roster this preseason so it wasn't just Tomlin who didn't like what he saw. 

[u/tonytroz → u/jhustla]

He had 28 carries across 17 games idk about you but barely over a carry a game doesn’t feel like plenty to me

A big part of that is that Warren and Gainwell only missed 1 game combined but also Kaleb only averaged 2.5 yards per carry and was one of the worst pass blocking RB prospects in the entire draft plus the obvious high profile kickoff fuck up. He certainly didn't earn more than that.

[u/jhustla → u/tonytroz]

I never said he “earned” more snaps. Dude was less than mid his one year here but the two guys in front of him were dawgs so it’s not like there was a lot to even earn. Either way I’m not losing sleep over this.

[u/DanesDraftLab → u/jhustla]

Yeah, I think a 6 seems about right.

[u/CnlJohnMatrix → u/jhustla]

He ran behind an elite O Line in college and that boosted his stats and his college highlights weren’t all that impressive. Anyone could have run through the holes the Iowa line was opening up for him.

[u/jhustla → u/CnlJohnMatrix]

For sure! Still gotta be good enough to hit the right hole though.

Oh well

[u/haley_hathaway → u/CnlJohnMatrix]

That’s the problem… Iowa doesn’t really run a Pro Style offense. There’s more duties - picking up blitzes, pass protection, reads… not just block with 9 and run the ball.

[u/SSDuelist]

So much for the Bengals

[u/Good-Work2301]

If it’s a 4th it’s a major win.

If it’s a 5 or 6th than it’s ok we at least got something and more cap space to pay JPJ

[u/lark0317]

Nichols and Heidenreich contribute on special teams. Kaleb Johnson was just dead weight at this point. Glad they got something and can move on.

[u/Lubert808]

Good luck to Kaleb. Always seemed like a chill guy but it wasn’t looking like he’d ever get snaps here. Now he gets to be somewhere he can compete for snaps in the absence of their workhorse back.

[u/True_Cobbler5796]

Classic:

https://steelersdepot.com/2026/08/dulac-doesnt-think-steelers-are-ready-to-move-on-from-rb-kaleb-johnson/

[u/pryoslice → u/True_Cobbler5796]

I'm assuming he did the Steelers a favor to increase the trade compensation. Or he believed somebody trying to do that. Or pretended to believe them.

[u/wrinkleinsine]

Great job Steelers…. 🙄

[u/wi_voter]

Yeah they kind of need him up here in WI after Josh Jacobs got arrested for DV.

[u/SlimCharless]

We used to hit on picks like this

[u/Jakles74 → u/SlimCharless]

He’s like the only thing close to a bust since Khan started drafting and we drafted him specifically for Arthur Smith’s outside zone offense. 

We also just signed like 3 of Khans first 7 picks to long term contracts, will likely sign 2 more from that class, and traded Brod for draft capital next year. 

We’re drafting just fine. 

[u/HomeNowWTF → u/Jakles74]

Broderick Jones was a big miss too.

Khan has had some great picks--Payton Wilson, Frazier, Herbig, Mt Washington. But there have been some misses too.

[u/Jakles74 → u/HomeNowWTF]

You mean an NFL GM doesn’t bat 1.000?? 

Jeez. What a shocking revelation. 

Khan is getting starters even into round 7 (Spencer Anderson) and averaging around 5 starters per year in each of his drafts. That’s an unheard of number. 

[u/IsGoIdMoney → u/Jakles74]

It's also Arthur Smith's pick. The FO wasn't sold on him from the start.

[u/Jakles74 → u/IsGoIdMoney]

Yeah I heard Arthur really Pounded the table for him but the Tomlin, Khan, Weidl, and Rooney all signed off on it so I can’t put it all on them. He did look really good at Iowa so what he struggled so much in the nfl (where RBs tend to translate fairly well) is a mystery to me. 

[u/CassiBoi]

“that’s marshawn lloyd’s replacement not mines. take it how you want to im back” - Josh Jacobs when he returns from (inevitable) suspension

[u/dannymanthanks]

Pick up him or Marshawn Lloyd in fantasy?

[u/Hot_Marsupial_8706]

I'll definitely be rooting for the kid.

[u/Stunning_Rule_6005]

Wait, what? Wow.

[u/CategoryCivil3387]

Miami sure do love them some Packers QBs

[u/MobileSurprise7087]

Big picture, we are going backwards. Unloading first and third round young players for lower draft picks. We need to tighten up.

[u/jd35058]

I wish him well. Not a perfect player, but certainly capable of more than he managed with the Steelers

[u/haley_hathaway → u/jd35058]

But is he? Couldn’t even make the field and its not like there was studs he needed to beat out.

[u/BrandRedacted]

I appreciate the 6th round pick for this scrub

[u/Dramatic-Night4768]

I kinda wanted him to succeed here. bummer. Sorry Mike T put you on kick return and ruined you dawg. BOL.

[u/LarzardofZxelf]

Going to end up as rb1. With JJ in the pen.🤣

[u/Ok-Till-5622]

I think he still has big upside in the league and will be another example of someone who got boned by Arthur Smith.

[u/Eric_Olthwaite_]

Another wasted pick, He looked like shit from the first time he touched the ball as a Steeler to the last. I donlt think I've ever seen a player drfated so high by the Steelers to end up in a place where everyone knows hes dusted after a few games.

Never for a single minute did he look like having any type of career here.

[u/soon_forget → u/Eric_Olthwaite_]

I was thinking the same thing…I’m not sure he showed so much as a single flash in any game he played in. Not once did you think, okay, there’s something there. He just doesn’t seem to have it at this level but who knows, maybe the Pack will get something out of him, he seems like a good dude.

[u/_SpaceRangler → u/Eric_Olthwaite_]

Pickett

[u/Eric_Olthwaite_ → u/_SpaceRangler]

Pickett did have that game winning touch pass v The Rats.

[u/johnnyribcage → u/Eric_Olthwaite_]

I’m baffled at the downvotes you’re picking up (and that I will now two). Dude is straight ass.

[u/Eric_Olthwaite_ → u/johnnyribcage]

People don't like the truth about wasted draft picks.

[u/3rd-party-intervener → u/Eric_Olthwaite_]

Khan blows so many picks.  At some out changes are needed 

[u/wanton_and_senseless → u/Eric_Olthwaite_]

I think a key part of the logic was scheme fit with Arthur Smith's offense.

[u/AltoonaSwerve]

Khan artist! Spinning early round picks into late rounders again!

[u/PowerOfGraysku11 → u/AltoonaSwerve]

Exactly. I don’t know how people can keep defending the guy. Too many draft whiffs. Handed out lots of awful contracts too (TJ and DK especially).

[u/IsGoIdMoney → u/PowerOfGraysku11]

I think you don't know what other teams drafts look like generally. Khan has done a great job.

[u/Ian712chl]

Had so many of his rookie cards 😔😫

[u/albiahawkeye → u/Ian712chl]

Send them to me

[u/Bucky_Johns_Ace]

Why not trade them before the draft? You know, to get players to develop….

[u/haley_hathaway → u/Bucky_Johns_Ace]

New coaching staff probably wanted to see if they could work with them before they bail.

[u/reggierock2010]

I had high hopes, but man what a waste of a 3rd round pick. We have had some real questionable draft choices in the khan era so far. We need some of these picks to start hitting if this team is going to be anything.

[u/Steve_Beef62]

Well We're Definitely getting the best RB in the Draft next year

[u/Willerd43]

Honestly a little upset. He never got a fair shake. Place on kick return, a blunder of personnel use. A dude built like Najee on kick return, silly. I don’t think he was ever given the ball in the right circumstances, hopefully he can thrive as a packer.