Player: QB Will Howard
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Even with the Steelers drafting Drew Allar, Will Howard seems to be having the offseason that he needs thus far. The second-year quarterback has drawn praise from coaches and media alike for his progress in Year 2. While he now has competition as a potential future starter, he is arguably well-positioned for 2026. It seems he is being positioned to win the backup job, should he prove that he deserves it.
Even after he drafted Drew Allar, Steelers HC Mike McCarthy couldn’t stop praising Will Howard. After the draft, he went so far as to say that Howard will be a starter in the league. He didn’t say when, and he didn’t say with whom. But he believes in the talent the second-year quarterback possesses, and that’s enough for now.
One of the most-discussed sixth-round picks in recent history, Howard has been at or near the center of the Steelers media world for most of the year. He’s not going to be a starter in 2026—Aaron Rodgers is back for that—but after that? Well, the door is open, even with Drew Allar around.
Allar, it seems, is settling in for a redshirt year, but the Steelers will want to develop him as much as possible. From that point of view, it’s imperative for Will Howard to win the backup job. In that role, he will be best positioned to earn reps during the season to continue his development. Given how much time he missed as a rookie, going back to training camp, that is especially important.
The good news is that it seems to be what the Steelers want, too. He ran the first-team offense this spring, seemingly, whenever Aaron Rodgers didn’t. And Rodgers didn’t sign until OTAs, so he had work back in April running the show alone. During that time, Howard seems to have left a positive impression, showing obvious growth from his rookie year. That’s what you’d expect, of course, but progress doesn’t just happen. You have to work at it, and he’s evidently put in the work necessary to move forward.
With the 2026 offseason well underway and many moves made, we have stock to take. Already promisinga year of change, the Steelers are shaking things up. That is unavoidable, of course, when you gut the coaching staff. Mike Tomlin’s resignation has fundamentally changed this football team, including the players on the roster.
After a long season, the Steelers showed the ability to win the division and make the playoffs. But they also showed that their progress was minimal,since they made it no further. Two years in a row, with two different quarterbacks, they went 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card Round. The only differences are that they ended the season on a higher note and won the AFC North. But it didn’t help.
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