For the last four seasons, Najee Harris was a consistent presence for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he wasn’t a superstar, Harris was reliable, and that’s important at the running back position. However, he left the Steelers in free agency in March, joining the Los Angeles Chargers. Pittsburgh might’ve found his replacement, though. In the third round of the draft this year, the Steelers selected Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson. While Johnson is a powerful runner, it sounds like he’s aware of his weaknesses.
“Pass blocking, that’s my main thing,” Johnson said Friday after the first day or rookie minicamp via Steelers Live on Twitter. “That’s what I want to work on, and I’m gonna work on it every day. After practice, just going over there with the bag right there and hitting it with Coach [Eddie] Faulkner.
“Really just learning, and really learning from [Jaylen] Warren, too. He’s one of the best doing it in the league right now. I told him, ‘Let’s do it, let’s work after every practice and do it.’ He’s with it, so I’m down to go.”
Pass blocking is one of Warren’s biggest strengths, so he should be the perfect teacher for Johnson. That’s a skill that many young running backs need to hone, and it’s an underrated part of playing the position. On many plays, Warren’s great blocking has been huge.
Although Johnson is not near that level yet, it sounds like he’s not wasting any time trying to change that. Rookie minicamp has only just started, and he’s already planning on how he’ll improve himself.
At the moment, it’s unclear what Johnson’s role will be in the Steelers’ offense this year. The team has a high opinion of Warren, so perhaps it will ease Johnson into the lead back role. He’s a strong runner and a great scheme fit for Arthur Smith’s offense, so he should have opportunities to show off his strengths.
When training camp comes around, Johnson’s pass blocking will be tested. During the backs-on-backers drill, Mike Tomlin will likely be watching him closely. The Steelers aren’t short on tough linebackers, either. Johnson should have his share of opportunities to prove that his pass blocking is coming along.
