Even Mike McCarthy knows rostering four quarterbacks is impractical, but for now, he’s enjoying working with the Steelers’ quartet of passers. Joining Aaron Rodgers are two youngsters, Will Howard and Drew Allar, with longtime Steeler Mason Rudolph still plugging along.
Halfway through the offseason program, McCarthy assessed his quarterback room and how it’s coming together. While there is no controversy over who will start, there is still plenty to talk about. That’s inevitable when your starter is on a farewell tour and you have two young players in the mix.
There are “obviously a lot of benefits” to having four quarterbacks, McCarthy said via the Steelers’ website. “The value in your room, obviously, with Aaron Rodgers, the experience and what he brings to the table” is one. “I’m not just talking about playing between the white lines, but his experience and what he can add to a conversation in the quarterback room has been extremely valuable for our younger players”.
McCarthy didn’t mention Rudolph much earlier in the offseason when talking about quarterbacks. Now that he has had an extended time to work with him, however, he’s come to appreciate the veteran. “He’s a hell of a football player, so another layer of experience for our two younger players”, he noted.
Mike McCarthy inherited half of the Steelers’ current quarterback room but seems excited about all of them. He won a Super Bowl with Rodgers, of course. When it comes to Howard, he can’t stop talking about him even after using a third-round pick on Allar. But he seems especially pleased with the balance between the veterans and their openness with the youngsters.
“Will and Drew are just soaking it up, frankly. I mean, they’re just soaking it up”, McCarthy said of how the young quarterbacks have responded to the shared wisdom of Rodgers and Rudolph, “and they’ve done a really job in that aspect, too. That’s the benefits of it to have a diverse group like that because you never have enough quarterbacks”.
There is, of course, one small problem, which is actually getting reps for all of them. McCarthy talked about the CBA being the only obstacle in terms of his quarterback evaluation. That’s a very real obstacle, however, and it’s hitting home already. Right now, the solution is to minimize Rodgers’ reps when possible, but he needs work with his new targets, too.
After all, Rodgers is the Steelers’ starter, and they have a lot of new wide receivers. They traded for Michael Pittman Jr., though Rodgers has some history with him despite not having played together. Then there’s Germie Bernard. While purportedly a quick study, he’s still a rookie. And McCarthy wants to ensure that he gets enough work for all of his quarterbacks.
That’s, of course, especially important in terms of the future, for Will Howard and Drew Allar. There’s no promising either will develop into a starting quarterback, but Mike McCarthy knows it’s his legacy. If he can leave the Steelers with their future under center, he’ll have done his job.
Recommended for you