Let’s jump right to what we know about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation. Aaron Rodgers is the starter and Drew Allar will be on the roster, likely as the third stringer. Why? Simply because the team invested a third round pick and you don’t put those guys on the Practice Squad. The real question is centered around who survives between the veteran Mason Rudolph and the second-year man Will Howard. According to many, it’s a done deal based strictly on OTAs and I’m here to put the brakes on that – for the time being.
Rudolph has a cap hit of $4.62 million this season. Howard’s is a tad over $62,000 so in a perfect world he’s your backup and the Steelers trade Rudolph creating a bit of cap space. The financials however are not the reason people are rushing to judgment though. Because Howard was the number two QB during the most recent OTAs, beat writers, bloggers and podcasters are falling over themselves to anoint Howard the backup for 2026.
I am in no way suggesting these people are wrong. I’m simply suggesting that we don’t know what Mike McCarthy is thinking. Perhaps he wanted Howard getting more reps simply so he and his staff can evaluate him. After all, Rudolph is a known commodity. There are hours of tape on him as both a backup and as a starter so McCarthy and company already know what he brings to the table.
Of the four QBs on the roster, Howard has the weakest arm. There are legitimate questions about his ability to get the ball outside the numbers with enough zip to beat defenders. Howard wouldn’t be the first NFL QB with such an issue but in today’s NFL, you really need a guy that can sling it. That said, a strong running game and improved offensive line can make some of those throws less in demand so it’s something we must consider.
Ultimately, the number two quarterback position will be figured out through injuries, performance during Training Camp and performance during preseason games. Only so much can be gleaned from several practices in shirts and shorts which is all McCarthy has seen of Howard to this point. I’m of the opinion that we give this some more time before we decide the pecking order just yet.
