Kaleb Johnson and 10 others to watch as the Steelers put on pads

New York Times

a day ago

Shortly after the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round, the rookie running back set the bar high for himself.
'Najee (Harris) had 1,000 yards all four years,' Johnson said during rookie minicamp. 'That doesn't happen for no reason. I feel like I want to be next up. I want to come in, I want to be Rookie of the Year. That's my main thing. Win Super Bowls. Rookie of the Year. All-Pro. I want to do all of that.'
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At Iowa, Johnson racked up 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024 using his patience and vision to thrive in a run-heavy, outside-zone offense. Considering Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is also a proponent of ground-and-pound and has often built his offenses around outside-zone runs, Johnson appears to be an ideal scheme fit.
But if Johnson is going to become the feature back and a legitimate three-down contributor one day, he also needs to improve in one area: pass protection. For months, Johnson has been talking about improving his blitz pickup while spending extra time before and after practices hitting the bag to work on his technique.
'Everything else will fall into place,' he said last week. 'But that's my main thing: pass protection.'
Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson working on pass protection at rookie minicamp. He said yesterday this is the part of his game he's most focused on improving. pic.twitter.com/7HFSgVrc0D
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) May 10, 2025
Tuesday, it's time for his first test. The Steelers will put on pads for the first time this training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and, as is tradition, the main event of practice will be the spirited backs on 'backers drill.
'Blitz pickup is something that's really evaluated in pads,' coach Mike Tomlin said. 'Certainly, he's been working to develop and hone his technique, but the physicality component is something that's very difficult to simulate.'
Johnson will be one of the main players to watch in pads, but he's not the only one. Here are a few more to keep your eye on this week when things get real.
From the moment the Steelers drafted Harmon, he's looked the part. The defensive tackle played in an odd front at Oregon, so he's already familiar with the 4i-technique (lining up on the inside shoulder of the offensive tackle) that he's playing in the base defense. His strong hands and quick hips have been noticeable in low-contact settings.
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But if the Steelers are going to fix what defensive coordinator Teryl Austin calls their 'Baltimore problem,' they need to become more physical up front. Harmon could be a significant part of that solution if he continues to shine.
Physicality was Fautanu's calling card when he was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, a preseason knee sprain delayed his debut, and a torn medial patellofemoral ligament and dislocated kneecap ended his season prematurely. His rehab is now complete, and he's ready to put the pads back on for the first time in a long time.
'It's been a while,' Fautanu said. 'It's been close to a year since I played real football. … As an offensive lineman, the worst thing is to play football in shorts and T-shirts.'
Fautanu called Tuesday's practice the 'last checkpoint' in his return from injury. When you watch the young right tackle, pay special attention to his footwork.
'I missed a lot of reps,' Fautanu said. 'Being back, I think I got some happy feet. Just moving them just to move. But that's about it. I think once my feet are good, usually everything else is good.'
On the other side of the offensive line, Broderick Jones has as much (or more) to prove in pads than anyone. He dropped about 20 pounds on his own, without the coaches asking, this offseason. For a player who ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.97) of any offensive lineman in his class, playing around 310 or 315 pounds should help Jones regain the agility and mobility that made him a first-round pick.
However, Jones sustained a soft-tissue, lower-body injury over the weekend. Trainers wrapped his groin/hip/hamstring area in practice on Sunday, and Tomlin called him 'day-to-day.' It remains to be seen whether the Steelers will be cautious or if Jones can continue an important developmental process in camp.
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Will Howard might be a fan favorite. But the rookie quarterback's favorite target? Undrafted rookie tight end JJ Galbreath.
As I've written before, Galbreath shined at his pro day, putting up numbers that were, in many cases, better than the best combine participants. That athletic makeup has helped the undrafted rookie from South Dakota become a weapon in the passing game in unpadded and low-contact situations. He also has the versatility to do many things Smith asks from his tight ends.
'In college, I lined up all over the offense — No. 1, 2, 3 receiver. In-line. Off-line. Little bit of backfield,' Galbreath said. 'In all honesty, they're asking all of the same things from us tight ends.'
The one question mark in Galbreath's game is how he'll hold up as a blocker. That makes one-on-one blocking drills an early measuring stick.
'I'm hoping to surprise some people with the willingness and that aggressiveness in the blocking game,' Galbreath said. 'Technique is always going to be a big part of that, but I'm working on it just as everybody else is working (on something).'
Galbreath, who is listed at 240 pounds after weighing in at 231 at his pro day, doesn't have to be dominant. But if he's at least solid, perhaps he can continue his case as a dark horse candidate to unseat Connor Heyward for the final spot on the tight end depth chart.
During the draft, Tomlin said the Steelers made it a goal to 'retool physicality in all areas.' Sawyer, a 260-pound outside linebacker from Ohio State, was part of that plan.
'I think he fits the bill in terms of physicality and size,' Tomlin said after the draft. 'So that definitely was an agenda of ours this weekend.'
During Darnell Washington's rookie year, Tomlin tested him with a marquee matchup against T.J. Watt. If Sawyer goes up against Washington, it will be a big test for the rookie outside linebacker. On the flip side, Tomlin likes to pit younger players against each other. Perhaps a Jack Sawyer-Galbreath matchup could be part of the one-on-one period, presenting a bigger test for the young tight end.
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While the backs on 'backers drill (which also includes tight ends against outside linebackers) is the main event Tuesday, Tomlin also uses the first practice in pads to challenge players in other one-on-one situations. When the coach was asked about the matchup he's most looking forward to, he pointed to two players.
'I like Kenny (Gainwell) versus Payton Wilson in routes,' Tomlin said. 'Kenny G has shown a really good aptitude from a route-running standpoint out of the backfield. Payton Wilson, in the second year, is a guy that's working to be dominant in that area. It's just one of those matchups that has my attention.'
Gainwell has been deployed in camp as a bit of a Swiss Army knife. He's often lined up wide as a receiver, in addition to running routes out of the backfield. On the flip side, Wilson called himself the 'best coverage linebacker in the world' last week. If the Steelers want to lean into more man coverage, the young inside linebacker will be an important part of the equation, just as much as the additions in the secondary.
Ramsey and Metcalf had plenty of physical battles in the NFC West, when Ramsey was with the Los Angeles Rams and Metcalf starred on the Seattle Seahawks. To this point, everyone has kept their composure during team drills. But when the pads go on, it could be a different story.
The Steelers have been moving Metcalf around the formation a lot in camp, including putting him in the slot. This is a common tactic to get a team's top receiver away from a dominant outside corner. One of the many benefits of Ramsey playing in the slot is that teams won't be able to dictate a better matchup by motioning a receiver. This week, it could lead to some physical one-on-one battles.
The first Aaron Rodgers-to-DK Metcalf completion of training camp pic.twitter.com/e60ulZhiGP
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) July 24, 2025
If Tomlin didn't run such a physical training camp, maybe Warren wouldn't be here. As an undrafted rookie in 2022, Warren made a name for himself and carved out a niche in large part because of his outstanding pass-protection skills. Asked if Tomlin might hold the new RB1 back in these physical drills a bit because of his new place on the depth chart, Warren smiled.
'I hope not,' he quipped.