The Seattle Seahawks' running back room went from the 1-2 punch of Kenneth Walker III and Zack Charbonnet to one of the most questionable groupings in the NFL. Walker is in Kansas City, Charbonnet is recovering from injury, and there's a good chance that rookie Jadarian Price is the Week 1 starter.
With George Holani and Emanuel Wilson fighting for a backup job, there's a non-zero chance that Seattle supplements their backfield with someone who doesn't make his current team's 53-man roster. 2025 third-round pick and Pittsburgh Steelers backup Kaleb Johnson could fit that mold.
According to Andrew Filiponi and Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan radio in Pittsburgh, Johnson is in danger of being cut due to his lack of special teams skill and his ceiling as the No. 3 running back behind Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren. He may look like a fun lottery ticket, but the Seahawks might be better served leaving this guy alone.
Seattle Seahawks need to avoid possible Kaleb Johnson acquisition
Johnson was picked 83rd overall in 2025, which was regarded by many as a bit of a steal. Johnson led the Big Ten with 1,537 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns, but that wasn't enough to obscure the fact that he is a bit of a one-trick pony who had just one season of genuinely elite production with the Hawkeyes.
Johnson is not the quickest or shiftiest running back in the world, and averaging less than 3.0 yards per carry in what limited playing time he did receive also isn't the best sign for his long-term viability in the league. Johnson is not a great blocker, and his value lies almost exclusively in his ability to pick a direction and use his power to run over defenders.
While that could be an appealing addition behind the shifty Price, especially if Charbonnet takes longer than expected to return from his injury, No. 24 getting back on track sooner than expected could take Johnson's role away. Wilson managed to carve out a semi-regular featured role as the Green Bay Packers' primary backup last season, and he shouldn't be expected to simply concede the RB3 role.
The Steelers possibly considering axing Johnson just one year after using a top-85 pick on him should be a sign as to what they think of his pro potential. Some team will take a chance on him, but it shouldn't be the Seahawks.
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