Pittsburgh Steelers WR Brandon Johnson is questionable to return in the team’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers with a foot injury, per Steelers senior director of communications Burt Lauten.
Johnson is on the roster bubble, and as it stands right now, he’s probably on the outside looking in. He appeared in three games for the Steelers last season, all coming as a practice squad elevation, catching one pass for nine yards. Prior to his stint with the Steelers, Johnson spent two seasons with the Denver Broncos.
A strong performance tonight could’ve been key to Johnson’s chances of making the initial 53-man roster with cutdowns coming next week. He’s competing with the likes of Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek for a backup wide receiver job, but Skowronek’s job feels relatively safe.
This preseason, Johnson has five receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown, which came in last Saturday’s preseason loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s unknown how severe Johnson’s injury is, but it’s a good sign that he wasn’t immediately ruled out. Being on the roster bubble, if he’s able to return, he likely will to try and stake his claim for a roster spot.
If Johnson can’t return and his injury isn’t too serious, he still serves as a viable practice squad candidate due to his experience and familiarity with Pittsburgh and wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, whom he worked with in Denver.
