Most envision the quarterback battle of the Pittsburgh Steelers to mostly focus on Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. While that might be the case for the backup role on the roster, it doesn't necessarily mean either Howard or Rudolph will lose their jobs.
Perhaps the battle that fans should pay close attention to at training camp is Mason Rudolph fending off Drew Allar.
Pittsburgh just used a third-round draft pick on Allar. He is a massive project at the quarterback position, and that's the main reason why the Steelers are toying with the idea of keeping four signal callers. It was a rough go at OTAs and minicamp for Allar, but if he learns at a quick pace, then he could make some noise at training camp and force Rudolph out of the picture.
Keeping four quarterbacks on the roster would be unheard of in recent Steelers history. They normally only keep three on the team, but things could be different this time around. If Howard can't win the backup spot but shows enough in the preseason, they could keep four. A lot will depend on how the young quarterbacks battling with Rudolph produce as the summer drags on.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback battle between Mason Rudolph and Drew Allar could shake roster
People shouldn't ignore the upcoming battle that will take place between Howard and Rudolph, but it won't be the only interesting storyline. Allar could turn things upside down if he finds a way to locate a stable footing in the NFL much sooner than expected. He's not off to a strong start to his career, but maybe once training camp arrives, he could turn things around in a hurry.
Losing the backup role to Howard would be one bad day at the office for Rudolph, but having Allar get close to taking over his job would be worse.
Not securing the backup role doesn't mean Rudolph will go anywhere when final roster cuts arrive. However, if Allar finds a way to show the coaching staff he is worth potentially playing in case injuries mount this season, it could be bad news for Rudolph.
At the end of the day, this is a veteran team for Pittsburgh that might need an experienced NFL quarterback on the roster. That logic should hold up, and that could be bad news for Howard or Allar when it comes to their long-term intentions. Failing to earn the third-string job over Rudolph wouldn't be the worst thing for Allar, but you'd like to see the rookie surprise some people.
Looking at this from the big picture of the organization, it's obvious that having Allar win a job over Rudolph would be ideal.
The Steelers are desperate to locate a long-term solution at the position, and they have potential with their new rookie. There is a giant conundrum for Pittsburgh to overcome at training camp, and these quarterbacks won't make their decision easy.
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