Green Bay Packers Make BLOCKBUSTER RB Trade After Losing Josh Jacobs
The Packers acted quickly.
The Green Bay Packers needed a running back before the roster deadline hit. Josh Jacobs went on the commissioner’s exempt list Sunday. That left MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks as the next men up. The Packers did not wait. They reached into Pittsburgh’s room and took a second-year back.
BREAKING: The Steelers are trading RB Kaleb Johnson to the Packers, per @AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/IBl6c0CSAE
— JPA (@jasrifootball) August 30, 2026
Kaleb Johnson found his way to Wisconsin ahead of his second season. The Steelers drafted him 83rd overall in 2025 out of Iowa. One year later, they are shipping him out.
Pittsburgh had already signed Rico Dowdle to pair with Jaylen Warren. Johnson was third on that list. Seventeen preseason carries for 53 yards did not change it. A change of scenery was the only card left.
Kaleb Johnson Gets a Reset After a Lost Rookie Year
May 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson (20) participates in OTA drills at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Iowa fans remember a different player. He ran for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024. He won Big Ten running back of the year. The Steelers thought his wide-zone work would fit Arthur Smith. It never did.
Week 2 against Seattle wrecked the trust. A kickoff bounced over his head. The Seahawks recovered it for a touchdown. Mike Tomlin called it poor judgment by a young player. Johnson never returned kicks again. He finished with 28 carries for 69 yards. He was a healthy scratch for long stretches.
“There’s ups and downs to football,” he said in June. Year 1 was almost all downs for Johnson.
Green Bay is not handing him the job. Jacobs is still the lead back if the league lets him play. However, while Lloyd’s health has been a yearly question, Johnson becomes an insurance and a bet that the Iowa tape still lives somewhere.
Josh Jacobs Put the Packers in a Tough Spot
Josh Jacobs. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jacobs was charged Thursday with misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. The case traces to a May arrest. The NFL parked him on the exempt list while it reviews. That is why this deal happened on a Sunday.
Johnson will add depth to the room, with a path if Lloyd goes down again. Fantasy shops already called him a speculative stash in deeper leagues. Pittsburgh just wanted the roster spot.
Kaleb Johnson is 23. He is big enough to run between the tackles. He has not proven he can stay on the field. The Packers are buying that chance cheap. Pittsburgh is closing the book on a pick that never took. Cut day does that to Day 2 running backs.
