PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have enough on their plate heading into Week 5 without wondering whether they missed out on Kaleb Johnson.
After a trade that sent top cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys and a tough loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers sit at 2-2 through four games. Mike McCarthy’s team is still trying to settle in under its new head coach, and the mood around the roster isn’t exactly bright. But at least one thing looks clearer now: the Steelers are not losing sleep over Johnson, the former third-round pick they dealt to the Green Bay Packers before the regular season for a 2028 sixth-round draft pick.
That’s partly because Pittsburgh has found some life in the backfield despite injuries. With Rico Dowdle sidelined by a lower-body injury, the Steelers have leaned heavily on Jaylen Warren. He’s handled 17 carries in each of the last two games, rushing for 127 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals and 93 against the Cleveland Browns.
What Pittsburgh needs most is dependable help behind Warren, and Johnson hasn’t shown he can be that kind of answer. He has never offered much as a receiver, and that has carried over to Green Bay, where he has just one catch so far. Warren, by contrast, has not seen fewer than four targets in any game this season.
The bigger problem with Johnson remains the same one that followed him out of Pittsburgh: ball security. While Warren has had his own issues with fumbling, Johnson’s own turnover trouble has continued with the Packers.
Through 20 carries, Johnson has rushed for 80 yards, including a 31-yard run against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has also put the ball on the ground twice, which works out to one fumble every 10 carries.
That kind of production wouldn’t hold up in a depth role in Pittsburgh, where even lesser-used backs like Lew Nichols and Travis Homer at least bring reliability on the limited work they get.
The Steelers have plenty to sort out elsewhere. Backup running back just isn’t one of the problems. They could use more talent and more depth in the room, but not at the expense of Johnson’s fumbles or his lack of value in the passing game.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans May See Joey Porter Jr. Trade Very Differently Now
The Cowboys acquisition of Joey Porter Jr. came with the usual instant questions about what comes next, but the early read on his approach may ease some of that anxiety. Rather than pushing immediately for a new deal, Porter is reportedly willing to play out his current contract, which gives Dallas some breathing room as it sorts through the longer-term picture around one of its newest defensive additions.
For Steelers fans, that detail may change the way the move is viewed from afar. Porters market value is estimated at around $27.4 million per year, so the price tag is still substantial, but the bigger issue now appears to be how much security and how many years the Cowboys want to offer when the time comes. The contract conversation is not going away, but the early signs suggest this may be more about fit and timing than any urgent showdown over money. [Read more 🡒]
Missing Steelers Fan Case In Cleveland Just Took A Disturbing Turn
A trip to Cleveland for a football game has turned into a search that now carries real weight. Phoenix Phillips, a 24-year-old from Maryland, was last seen downtown after attending the game, and police have said his disappearance is concerning. His phone was found, adding to the unease around a case that has quickly moved beyond a simple missing-person report.
Authorities have also recovered an unidentified body near the area where Phillips was last known to be, though they have not confirmed any connection. The investigation remains active, and online chatter has added another layer of noise around Phillips, with unverified allegations tying him to unauthorized trading and scamming. For now, though, the only thing that matters is the unanswered question of what happened after he left the game. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers LB Cole Holcomb Shares A Feel Good Life Update
For a Steelers defense still trying to settle in through a 2-2 start, Cole Holcomb has had a more personal milestone to celebrate away from the field. Holcomb and his wife, Casey, welcomed their second child this week, a baby boy named Drew Jarrett, or DJ, adding a bright spot to a season that has already had its share of on-field grind for the veteran inside linebacker.
Holcomb has continued to be part of Pittsburghs mix in the middle of the defense, even as the early weeks have brought a little bit of everything, including an NFL fine for a blindside block on a special teams play in Week 3. The newborn news, though, is the kind of update that can reset a players week in a hurry, and it gives Holcomb and his family a memorable moment as the Steelers move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]