After an offseason full of rumors, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally traded George Pickens, sending the wideout to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday. Pickens wearing a new uniform felt like a certainty when the Steelers acquired DK Metcalf earlier this offseason, so it doesn't come as a surprise at all to see him gone. By trading Pickens away, though, the Steelers made it clear that rookie running back Kaleb Johnson is going to play a huge role in this team's offense.
Sure, Metcalf is going to get his offensively. Jaylen Warren is still on the team as well and is sure to get touches in the backfield.
With that being said, though, the Steelers used a third-round pick on Johnson out of Iowa to play a big role in the team's offense. The Pickens trade ensures that he will do just that from day one.
Kaleb Johnson set for massive role in Steelers offense following George Pickens trade
Trading Pickens made a lot of sense for the Steelers for a multitude of reasons, but it left them a playmaker short. The draft picks they acquired can help them in the future, but not in 2025.
Metcalf is going to get a majority of the targets, but with Calvin Austin III set to be the team's WR2, and the team still being without a quarterback, the odds of this passing attack being extremely potent are slim.
For the Steelers offense to do damage, they're going to have to be productive on the ground. Warren is a solid player, but he's far from a workhorse No. 1 running back. Johnson, however, fits that bill.
From the moment he was drafted, Steelers fans dubbed him their Najee Harris replacement, and for good reason. He profiles as a stereotypical power back who can absolutely carry the ball as many times as needed in a given game. Steelers fans hope Johnson can be more efficient than Harris was, but ultimately, it isn't hard to see the vision.
With only so much the Steelers can do in the passing game without Pickens, they're going to have to rely heavily on their rushing attack. With Warren profiling as more of an RB2, Johnson is going to get every opportunity to justify Pittsburgh's investment and establish himself as the team's back of the future. Steelers fans can only hope Johnson is up for what will surely be a tremendous challenge ahead.