There is significant intrigue surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback depth chart. The room features a blend of proven veterans in Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph, along with two promising young quarterbacks in Will Howard and Drew Allar. Rodgers will be the starter this season, barring injury, leaving the rest of the group to determine their spots on the depth chart behind him.
Training camp should provide an open and competitive environment as each quarterback looks to separate himself and secure a role.
Pittsburgh may have its starting quarterback in place with Aaron Rodgers, but the true storyline lies in how the depth chart unfolds behind him. Barring a significant and unexpected change, Drew Allar’s spot on the roster appears secure, and he is likely to spend the season developing from the sidelines. The real intrigue centers on the remaining quarterbacks, where competition could intensify.
Both Mason Rudolph and Will Howard will be in direct competition for the backup role behind Aaron Rodgers. Depending on how final roster decisions unfold, the loser of this battle could ultimately find himself on the outside looking in. While the competition between Rudolph and Howard should be compelling, Rudolph appears to face the tougher path to securing his spot on the roster.
Aaron Rodgers and Will Howard will end up leading the Pittsburgh Steelers QB depth chart
1. Aaron Rodgers
As previously noted, this is Aaron Rodgers’ offense to lead for one more season. He has indicated that this will be his final year, and regardless of whether he revisits that stance, the Steelers would be wise to move forward after this last run. There is some uncertainty among the fans about Rodgers returning as the starter following a bumpy 2025 campaign.
Regardless of how one feels about Rodgers, he gives the Steelers their best chance to win right now. However, he is also at an advanced age for an NFL quarterback, making it likely that he could miss time due to injury at some point this season. That reality places even greater pressure on the coaching staff to make the right decision when determining who will serve as his backup.
2. Will Howard
It is clear that the coaching staff is high on Will Howard and will make every effort to give him a legitimate chance to win the backup role this season.
That is encouraging for fans who are eager to see the team develop a young successor at the position, but it also introduces some potential concerns. If Howard earns the role and is thrust into action before he is ready, struggles on the field could hinder his long-term development.
On the other hand, Howard earning the backup spot should not be viewed as a foregone conclusion. At the end of the day, he is a former sixth-round pick who did not see any preseason or regular season action as a rookie. While Mike McCarthy continues to speak highly of Howard, it would not be surprising if Mason Rudolph presents a strong challenge and makes this a competitive battle.
3. Mason Rudolph
Although it may seem that Howard has the inside track to secure the backup role behind Rodgers, nothing is guaranteed. The Steelers would prefer for Howard to win the job, but as Mason Rudolph has pointed out, this is a veteran roster with postseason aspirations.
With that in mind, Pittsburgh may lean toward experience, making it logical to turn to a proven quarterback with starting experience over Howard if Rodgers were to miss time.
Perhaps the biggest factor working against Rudolph is the youth movement within the quarterback room. Not only must he outperform Howard and Allar to improve his standing on the depth chart, but he also has to convince the coaching staff to carry four quarterbacks on the roster. The longtime Steelers backup faces an uphill battle, but it's not impossible to overcome.
4. Drew Allar
Unless he develops much faster than expected, Drew Allar is projected to sit at the bottom of the depth chart. While he has shown some encouraging signs during his time with the Steelers, he still has a long way to go before he is ready to start games. In fact, it would not be surprising if Pittsburgh opted to bring in another option rather than turn to Allar if Rodgers, Howard, and Rudolph were unavailable.
The key for the rookie quarterback is allowing him to develop patiently on the sidelines for at least this season, and possibly next year as well, before giving him an opportunity to compete for the starting role. Allar possesses all the necessary tools, but with the Steelers essentially rebuilding his game from the ground up, it is unlikely he will see any in-game action this season.
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