OTAs are almost here for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t joined their team. It feels like he’ll eventually sign with the Steelers, but that’s not guaranteed. If Rodgers doesn’t sign with them, Mason Rudolph would likely be the Steelers’ 2025 starter. Skylar Thompson and Will Howard likely wouldn’t push him for that job. However, former NFL scout John Middlekauff is very confident that Howard will get playing time this season if Rodgers doesn’t join the Steelers.
“If Rodgers does not show up, which would feel a little crazy, but we’re on May 19 and he hasn’t signed, I would say one million percent Will Howard could play,” Middlekauff said recently on his 3 and Out podcast.
Despite Middlekauff’s confidence, Howard likely faces an uphill battle to see the field this season. For starters, he was drafted in the sixth round this year. Not many rookie quarterbacks taken that late have a lot of success in their rookie year. The hit rate at that position in the sixth round isn’t very high.
Also, Pittsburgh seems committed to competing for a championship this year. While the Steelers aren’t likely to win a Super Bowl, they could threaten for a playoff victory. That makes it seem less probable that they’ll turn to Howard, a rookie, to be their starting quarterback.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to like about Howard’s game. He had a fantastic playoff run in his final collegiate season. Although his arm isn’t particularly strong, he throws with good touch and decent accuracy.
Middlekauff believes that Howard could’ve gone far earlier in the draft had he been more consistent in 2024.
“I remember early in the season thinking, ‘I don’t really see it.’ Kind of reminded me of a Riley Leonard,” he said. “High character, good athlete, tough kid, can make some plays, but it’s like, this guy’s not an NFL guy.
“By the end of the season, if he had had the stretch that he had against Oregon, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and those throws all season long, I think he’s going on the second day of the draft. It’s not like he’s 28 years old. He’ll be 24 this fall. He’s an older player, but I was pretty impressed.”
Howard was sensational in the playoffs. While he had a few rough losses during the regular season, he hit another level in the postseason. He helped Ohio State capture the national championship, being named offensive MVP of the title game.
Still, Howard’s best bet for success is likely to sit and develop this season, barring injuries at quarterback. If the Steelers don’t sign Rodgers, they’ll probably try to add another veteran quarterback. While their options aren’t great, perhaps they could find someone to serve as a backup to Rudolph so that Howard isn’t suddenly thrust into the starting job.
Look at some of the more successful sixth-round quarterbacks in NFL history outside of Tom Brady, the ultimate outlier. Marc Bulger, Matt Hasselbeck, and Tyrod Taylor all sat for multiple years before getting meaningful playing time. Some fans might be excited about Howard, but it’s important to temper expectations, especially for his rookie season.
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