There has been a lot of talk this offseason about what Will Howard’s role would be for the Steelers. Before Aaron Rodgers was brought back, the hope was that he could prove himself as the starter. After Rodgers was signed, just about everyone penciled in Howard as the top backup.
That no longer seems to be the case as Mason Rudolph is penciled in as the number two to start training camp.
Considering the current state of the quarterback room, this is a major blow to Howard. For most of the offseason, the expectation was that this was his job to lose. That no longer appears to be the case.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may not have a role for Will Howard
While Howard isn’t completely out of the picture yet, it felt like the Steelers were going to give Howard every opportunity to win the backup job. They certainly hyped him up as a guy they view as potentially their future.
I get that there is a new coaching staff here, so they want to assess all of their options, but Rudolph is a known commodity at this point. He is a fine backup who can get you by for a few games without issue.
Do the Steelers need to see that on display? I wouldn’t think so. If Pittsburgh was all in on Howard, they could have opened with him as the backup.
There is still plenty of time for Howard to regain some steam. We have all of training camp and the preseason to see what the former Ohio State quarterback can do. He can still claim the backup spot when this is all said and done.
However, if I were the Steelers, I would want as many opportunities for my young, unproven backup quarterback to get reps with the second team.
If you roll into the season with Howard as the top backup, he is one snap away from having a huge role for the team. You want to vet him out the best you can.
Perhaps the Steelers aren’t as high on Howard as we think. There is a real chance he misses the roster this year in favor of the experienced Rudolph.
According to some, it felt like the backup job was Howard’s to lose. He could still earn that role, but it won’t be given to him. Rudolph opening training camp as the top backup is a massive blow for the young quarterback.
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