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Kaleb Johnson inks rookie contract with Pittsburgh Steelers
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Former Iowa star running back Kaleb Johnson did not have to trade his jersey colors for his first NFL destination after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, the RB has his rookie deal in place to begin his rookie season.
The Steelers confirmed that Johnson’s contract had been signed on Friday evening. The deal is a 4-year contract for the former Hawkeye who was selected as a 3rd-round pick in this year’s draft.
According to Spotrac’s projections, Johnson’s deal as the 83rd overall pick in the draft was for just over $6.3 million with a signing bonus projection of a little over $1.2 million.
Johnson was among the most productive college backs in this year’s draft after rushing for over 1,500 yards with 21 rushing touchdowns. He led the Big Ten in both categories this past season and left Iowa City as the 5th-leading rusher in Hawkeye history with 2,779 yards. His 30 rushing touchdowns rank 4th in program history.
While Johnson entered the league as a 3rd-round pick, he has a great shot at being one of the top instant-impact rookies this season. The Steelers recently traded away star wide receiver George Pickens, and their quarterback outlook remains murky as of this writing.
Provided Johnson hits the ground running throughout preseason workouts and training camp, he should get a shot to make a difference for the offense as a rookie.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.