Mike McCarthy is back in Pittsburgh, and somehow that could end up helping the Cowboys.
The former Dallas coach is now running the Steelers, and one of the more interesting names sitting in his backfield is Kaleb Johnson. Pittsburgh took Johnson in the third round just a year ago, but his path has gotten crowded fast. He’s been working behind Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, and the early read is that he’s fighting for the RB3 spot rather than anything bigger.
Brian Batko of PittsburghSteelers.com laid out the competition this way:
"Kaleb Johnson is working while he waits in the wings, only a year removed from the Steelers using a third-round draft pick on him. Johnson will compete with veterans Travis Homer, a special teams ace, and Lew Nichols, a 2025 preseason stud for the Steelers, as well as rookie seventh-rounder Eli Heidenreich."
That’s the kind of setup that puts a player on the bubble in a hurry.
The Steelers did have a brief opening for Johnson when Kenneth Gainwell left in free agency, but that window closed almost immediately after Pittsburgh signed Rico Dowdle. Warren remains the kind of back Aaron Rodgers likes to have around as a reliable check-down option, and Dowdle is coming off his most efficient season under McCarthy in 2024. For Johnson, simply being talented isn’t enough if he can’t force his way past established veterans.
It’s a tricky spot for a player who was drafted by a coach who isn’t there anymore. Johnson now has to prove himself to a staff that didn’t make the pick, and that can change the math quickly. If Pittsburgh decides he’s expendable, McCarthy could end up handing Dallas a chance to scoop him up.
That possibility matters because the Cowboys’ depth chart behind Javonte Williams still has plenty of uncertainty. If a cut doesn’t come until August, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah would have time to make their case for the RB2 job. But if they don’t separate themselves and Johnson becomes available, Dallas should be ready to move.
Johnson is only 23, and while he hasn’t broken through in Pittsburgh, he entered the league with plenty of buzz. He was one of the most respected backs in the 2024 class, and evaluators loved his patience and contact balance after he racked up 1,060 yards after contact in his final season at Iowa.
Plenty of draft followers liked the film, and the Cowboys have shown they’re willing to take swings on highly regarded former picks. With so many questions still hanging over the running back room behind Williams, Johnson would make sense if he shakes loose.
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