After months of back and forth, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally convinced Aaron Rodgers to sign a deal to be the starting quarterback for 2025. Given the uncertainty in the quarterback room, the move was expected.
However, if you are a Will Howard fan, Pittsburgh just showed you how they truly feel about him.
The hype surrounding the sixth-round rookie has been unmatched. Ever since the Steelers turned in his card on draft day, fans have flocked to him as a potential savior. All of this despite the fact that he was a late-round pick in a notably bad quarterback draft class.
This hype intensified to include multiple talking heads to speculate that he would surpass Mason Rudolph for the starting role this year. With Rodgers now in the fold, this dream is officially dead. Instead, Howard is just fighting for the third quarterback spot.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are firm on their Will Howard stance
While I like Howard as a prospect as much as anyone, I have found the post-draft speculation on him to be nauseating. While I think he should develop into a fine backup and potentially even a low-end starter, this idea that he was, from the get-go, ready to start was ridiculous.
Instead, and what the Steelers just proved, is that Howard isn’t a lock to make this roster. Even if he does, play time will be hard to come by. Simply put, if Howard is on the field, something has gone drastically wrong in the quarterback room.
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This doesn’t mean Pittsburgh is giving up on the former Ohio State quarterback either. Instead, the team recognizes what we all should have realized: Howard will need time before seeing the field. That is the reason he fell to the sixth round.
I wouldn’t even be completely shocked if Skylar Thompson wins the third quarterback spot. He beat him out at Kansas State a few years ago for the starting role, and he has NFL experience to back him up.
Even if Howard does make this team, and I certainly hope that he does, he has a long road to go before he can be viewed as anything more than depth.
Had the Steelers actually viewed Howard as a potential starter right now, there would be no need to sign Rodgers. Instead, the team is rolling with the veteran, and that means Howard will have to earn his role. Really, this shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone.