Sports
For the first time in four years, the Pittsburgh Steelers might per chance additionally fill a original initiating working assist, as Najee Harris is slated to hit free company and can honest no longer be assist.
In all honesty, the Steelers should always no longer bring Harris assist. Whereas he’s been official when it involves staying healthy, the conventional first-round decide merely is no longer the needle-mover Pittsburgh wants. Due to this, spending famous money on him wouldn’t be life like.
What the Steelers should always assign is opt for a more inexpensive feeble working assist in free company to wait on as a bridge likelihood for 2025. Then, Pittsburgh should always procure its long-term solution within the 2025 NFL Draft, which is strictly what Vinnie Iyer of The Carrying News has them doing.
In his latest two-round mock draft, Iyer pairs the Steelers with 6-foot, 225-pound Iowa working assist Kaleb Johnson. That is what he wrote on the projected change:
“The Steelers like Johnson’s downhill working qualities and can honest start to evaluate he’s valid sufficient within the passing recreation to play three downs to interchange pending free agent Najee Harris,” Iyer wrote.
Johnson saved his most consuming college season for final, as he racked up 1,537 dashing yards, 188 receiving yards and 23 total touchdowns in 2024. He’s without a doubt among the easier backs in a draft class that is in actuality loaded with talent on the location.
In line with what head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith traditionally like in their backs, Johnson assessments the total bins. He thrives in a zone-working map, runs tricky, can block and has the slay to be a workhorse assist.
There are just a few concerns, though. Johnson did no longer procure great work as a pass-catcher at Iowa, though he appears to fill the goods to be an impact player in that location. He additionally is no longer very explosive and doesn’t profile as a home-flee hitter, which is something the Steelers’ offense has lacked for loads too long.
However the Steelers fill a prototype assist they desire, and Johnson without a doubt appears the allotment. If Pittsburgh opts to let Harris scramble, we would additionally positively discover the crew taking a swing on the Iowa product on Day 2.