If the Steelers draft a quarterback this year, it will be for one clear reason, veteran beat writer Gerry Dulac wrote. Already with three quarterbacks on the roster and awaiting Aaron Rodgers, they don’t feel the pressure others think they should. And that’s because of their youngest quarterback on the roster, for better or worse.
“At this point, if the Steelers take a quarterback in the draft, it won’t be until the third round”, Dulac wrote recently, a point that he has made before. But he added a little more detail this time, too. “And the only way they are going to do that is if they think he has a bigger upside than [Will] Howard”.
The Steelers selected Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite missing even the preseason due to injury, there appears to be genuine enthusiasm for the young quarterback. New HC Mike McCarthy has discussed the level of intrigue he has for Howard several times, and beat writers report that it’s far more than just a smoke screen.
Despite hopes of Rodgers returning and Howard’s prospects, the Steelers are still looking at quarterback draft prospects. There is no harm in keeping their options open, of course, whether they plan to draft one or not. At least knowing about the prospects, it can give you an idea of whether a team would want to draft or trade for him. And that can help you move around the draft board, if you so choose, or count the picks ahead.
Among the quarterbacks the Steelers have expressed interest in for the draft is Carson Beck, who had a pre-draft visit. They have also visited with Cole Payton, and there are obviously many more options along the pre-draft circuit. They have boots on the ground at Pro Days, and they can also have Zoom meetings with draft prospects.
But if the Steelers don’t think any of them had more upside than Will Howard, why would the Steelers bother to draft a quarterback? It’s fair to wonder, and logical, but the real question is how much upside they think Howard has. If they thought he had that much upside, why didn’t they draft him earlier? It’s not like they weren’t in the market for a future quarterback then, so is the practice footage that convincing?
If Aaron Rodgers does sign, the Steelers will have him, Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, and Skylar Thompson at quarterback heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. But they also have 12 draft picks in total, at least as of this writing. Would they really only draft a quarterback they think has more upside than Howard?
One thing to consider is the offseason workload. How much work could the Steelers afford a rookie quarterback they draft if not guaranteeing him a roster spot? Rodgers and Rudolph would surely take some time off. But they would want to give Howard as many reps as possible, especially if they really see this huge upside.
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