The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed wide receiver with multiple selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Steelers, though, fortified the position further Monday morning with Brandon Johnson.
NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported Monday the Steelers re-signed Johnson. The former undrafted wideout has spent parts of the past two seasons with Pittsburgh.
Johnson was on the Steelers practice squad at the end of the 2025 regular season.
The receiver most recently played in an NFL regular season contest during 2024 with the Steelers. In three contests, he caught his only target for nine yards.
Pittsburgh brought back Johnson after drafting Alabama wideout Germie Bernard at No. 47 overall in the second round Friday night. On Day 3, the Steelers also added receiver/returner Kaden Wetjen.
Steelers Re-Sign WR Brandon Johnson: Report
In the days after the NFL Draft, teams typically add undrafted free agents. Although they didn’t add a lot of undrafted players, the Steelers did that Sunday with a handful of prospects.
Instead of targeting an undrafted receiver, though, the Steelers brought back Johnson.
The 27-year-old wideout began his NFL journey as an undrafted free agent for the Denver Broncos. As a rookie in 2022, he posted six catches for 42 yards and a score.
Johnson experienced his best statistical season with the Broncos the following year. In 2023, he had 19 receptions, 284 receiving yards and four scores.
But since then, Johnson has struggled to find a role on an active NFL roster.
Last April, the wideout joined the Philadelphia Eagles. But Johnson didn’t make Philadelphia’s roster after the 2025 preseason.
Johnson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad in October. Following his release from the Buccaneers, Johnson returned to the Steelers in December.
The receiver actually made a return to the Broncos last January as well. He was on the team’s practice squad for the AFC championship game.
Johnson has made all of his NFL regular season appearances with Zach Azzanni as his wide receivers coach. Before Pittsburgh, Azzanni coached wideouts with the Broncos.
Johnson is back with the Steelers, though, despite the team having a new receivers coach under first-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy.
Steelers WR Depth Chart After 2026 NFL Draft
While the Steelers still found room on their 90-man roster for Johnson, the veteran wideout faces a much harder task to earn a spot with the team this season.
Before drafting Bernard and Wetjen, the Steelers acquired veteran Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts. Those three wideouts should be the top support for DK Metcalf this fall.
The team also still possesses receivers Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek. Wilson is still trying to find a role since being a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Skowronek doesn’t play a lot on offense but is a key special teams contributor for the Steelers.
So unless something changes with an injury or the development of one of the team’s younger receivers this summer, Johnson’s best case scenario is earning a WR6 role in Pittsburgh.
Johnson is likely to compete with the other wideouts on Pittsburgh’s roster for that spot on the pecking order. Those other receivers include Max Hurleman, John Rhys Plumlee, Cole Burgess, A.T. Perry and Brandon Smith.
Steelers Find Room to Bring Back Veteran WR After NFL Draft Additions: Report