Almost all of Pittsburgh Steelers Nation seemed to rally around Will Howard from the moment he was drafted. The Ohio State quarterback was coming off a National Championship victory, and it felt like his traits and talent were worthy of more than just a sixth-round pick.
Now, just a season later, he could already be on the chopping block.
With the news that Aaron Rodgers is returning, it leaves the Steelers in a bit of a pickle at quarterback. Two spots are locked up, that being the aforementioned Rodgers and third-round pick Drew Allar.
That means Howard is strictly on the fence, and he could be forced off the roster if he doesn’t have a spectacular camp.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may be forced to cut Will Howard this offseason
Rodgers is locked into the starting role (for better or for worse). Allar should be penciled in as the weekly inactive third quarterback, given his raw nature and pedigree. That means this team needs to decide on its primary backup.
Sure, Howard could be that guy, but he has yet to take an NFL snap. Mason Rudolph, meanwhile, is experienced in that role.
Yes, Howard has the better potential at this point in his career, but the Steelers will also want a quarterback who can come in off the bench and not collapse, given their desire to win now.
Rudolph is the safer bet for that. He has plenty of experience as a top depth option, and while his play isn’t spectacular, it is at least steady. If this team truly believes they are a Super Bowl contender, Rudolph should be in the driver's seat for the second quarterback role.
Now, the Steelers may say that they are doing everything to win now, but they could also realize that Rodgers isn’t going to be able to get them there. If that is the case, keeping Howard to have as many young and viable quarterbacks in the room for 2027 makes more sense, even if it costs the team in 2026.
While Rudolph is the forgotten man in the Steelers quarterback room, he shouldn’t be. At best, I expect this to be a tough battle during the summer, with Howard showing enough to warrant being the backup.
At worst, this job is already Rudolph’s, and Howard may have to pack his bags and look for a new home after training camp.
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