The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t seriously be thinking of handing their offense over to sixth-round QB Will Howard, right? That’s the question being asked all around the league as the team continues to utter his name at every turn possible. Naturally, some are skeptical of the Steelers’ real intentions, and think the Howard hype is one big psyop.
Count The Pat McAfee Show’s Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly among those thinking the hype is real.
“We see what Plan B is. I mean they say his name every single time. It’s gonna be Will Howard every opportunity they can potentially give him,” Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show. “I heard people saying that’s just a smoke screen. I don’t think it is. I think they got some really, really high marks on him. I think that he can be that guy that [Mike] McCarthy can mold. But the question is, is how long does it take him to mold somebody like that?”
If the Howard hype is just smoke and mirrors, it’s a well-coordinated and thorough one. It’s almost too thorough to be fake at this point.
Mike McCarthy and Omar Khan have both mentioned him multiple times, sometimes unprompted, during their offseason media sessions. Khan even said Howard will eventually get his chance to start.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac said their plan is to go “all-in” on developing him as Plan B if Aaron Rodgers retires. Heck, even Rodgers himself spent five minutes explaining why Howard will be successful in the NFL for a long time during an unrelated interview.
More importantly, actions speak louder than words and the Steelers didn’t pursue the various cheap, veteran QB options like Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, or Kyler Murray. Either they know without a shadow of a doubt that Rodgers is returning, or they are comfortable with the backup plan already in place.
If they are making moves to throw other teams off their scent, what would be the potential payoff? According to Mike Florio, they want Alabama’s Ty Simpson in the draft. His draft projections are all over the place, but many models have him comfortably making it to No. 21 when the Steelers make their first pick.
The league could be higher on Simpson than the media. If that’s the case, Pittsburgh might have reason to lull other potential suitors into thinking it can trade back (or not have to trade up) for the clear No. 2 QB in the class.
Whether the Steelers truly believe Will Howard can be their Plan B or are executing an elaborate smokescreen ahead of the draft remains to be seen. But if it’s a psyop, it’s one of the most committed ones in recent memory. At some point, the simplest explanation may be the correct one — the Steelers might genuinely believe they found something in their sixth-round quarterback.
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