Steelers A to Z: Reliable, consistent Cameron Johnston aims to improve punting game

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

P Cameron Johnston

Experience/age: Seventh season/32

Contract status: $2,083,333 salary cap hit for this season, signed through 2027

The past: The Australian native spent the first three seasons of his NFL career with Philadelphia and the next three with Houston so it stood to reason that Johnston would ink a three-year contract with the Steelers that will pay him $9 million, including a $2.875 million signing bonus.

Johnston had the best net punting average of his career in 2023, at 43.7 yards. He also had a career-low three touchbacks while placing 30 attempts inside the 20. Johnston’s net average ranked tied for fifth in the NFL, while the Steelers’ Pressley Harvin III ranked No. 30 at 39.1 yards among all punters who played in more than a handful of games.

In 2021, Johnston had the dubious distinction of leading the NFL in punt attempts and total yardage at 88 and 4,108, respectfully. His attempts dropped to 66 last season thanks to an improved Texans offense.

New punter Cameron Johnston working on his holding. pic.twitter.com/Iv6rFT0hkv

— Mike Prisuta (@DVEMike) May 29, 2024

2024 outlook: The Steelers showed they were serious about upgrading their special teams when they released Harvin, who had one more year left on his rookie deal, in February. And one of their first moves in free agency was securing Johnston to a three-year contract.

Johnston’s consistency is something the Steelers valued, as he never averaged fewer than 40.6 yards in any of his six NFL seasons. He also placed 45.5% of his attempts inside the 20 last season.

Johnston is one of the team’s few players who will face no competition in training camp. The Steelers elected not to sign another punter to the 90-man roster.