The Pittsburgh Steelers have significantly improved their wide receiver room this offseason. Going forward, though, the 2026 group will not include Brandon Johnson.
The Steelers announced claiming punter Aidan Laros off waivers Tuesday. To make room for Laros on the offseason roster, the team released Johnson.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the roster move shortly after the team’s announcement.
“Steelers have claimed P Aidan Laros off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and released WR Brandon Johnson,” wrote Schefter.
This marks the end of Johnson’s third stint with the Steelers. The team brought him back this offseason on a 1-year contract on April 27.
The Steelers have now waived Johnson three times over the past year.
Laros is an undrafted rookie free agent. The Buccaneers signed the punter following the 2026 NFL Draft.
In Pittsburgh, Laros will join Cameron Johnston as the punters on the Steelers offseason roster this spring.
Steelers Release WR Brandon Johnson
GettyESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Pittsburgh Steelers signed punter Aidan Laros and released wide receiver Brandon Johnson on Tuesday.
Johnson last appeared in an NFL regular season game with the Steelers in 2024. He caught his only target that season for a 9-yard gain.
Johnson continued his first stint with Pittsburgh by signing a reserve/future contract in January 2025. But last August, the Steelers waived the receiver with an injury designation after the preseason.
Ironically (based on Tuesday’s moves), Johnson signed with the Buccaneers practice squad. The Steelers brought him back on their practice squad, though, after Tampa Bay released him in December.
Following the Steelers loss in the postseason, the team released Johnson again. He signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad for the end of the AFC postseason.
Johnson began his career with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2022. His stint in Denver this past January was his second with the Denver.
Johnson joined the Steelers for the third time in NFL free agency following the 2026 NFL Draft. The team officially made that transaction on April 28.
The 27-year-old receiver has appeared in 23 regular season games during his NFL career. He has caught 26 passes for 335 yards and five touchdowns.
In 2023, he had 19 receptions, 284 receiving yards and four scores for the Broncos.
Given his history, Johnson is a candidate to return to the Steelers roster this summer. But the wideout is a long shot to make the team’s active roster.
Steelers Add Punter Aidan Laros Off Waivers
GettyThe Pittsburgh Steelers signed undrafted punter Aidan Laros to compete with veteran Cameron Johnston.
The Steelers somewhat surprisingly chose to bring back Johnston instead of keeping punter Corliss Waitman this offseason. But now the team has elected to bring in competition for Johnston.
Laros punted the past two seasons for the Kentucky Wildcats. In 2025, he averaged 44.5 yards per punt on 50 punts over 12 games.
During the 2024 campaign, he punted 32 times, averaging 45.4 yards per punt.
He finished inside the SEC’s top 10 in yards per punt each of those two seasons.
Johnston entered the 2024 campaign as the Steelers starting punter. But in Week 1, he sustained a season-ending injury.
Last season, he punted four games total for the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants. Entering this summer, Johnston has punted in just five contests over the past two seasons.
Laros will now push Johnston for the punter job in Pittsburgh.
In 100 NFL games over eight seasons, Johnston has averaged 47.2 yards per punt. He’s also posted 42 net yards per punt and pinned the opposing team inside the 20-yard line 40.4% of the time.
Steelers Part Ways With Veteran WR to Claim Specialist Off Waivers