What should we expect from Drew Allar in his first training camp?
If the Steelers didn’t see starter potential in Drew Allar, they wouldn’t have drafted him in the third round.
The third round is certainly not the first round, but it still represents a sizeable investment. It’s not a guarantee, but a high-upside lottery ticket that could pay out in the future.
But the future is…well, in the future. Whenever it is, it isn’t now. But what can we expect from Drew Allar now?
The Steelers will be opening training camp shortly, and all eyes will be on him for good reason. He’s arguably the lone roster lock pretty much guaranteed not to play a snap this season. But he has such a big role to play in the future of this organization.
Or potentially, anyway. And especially now. After all, if Allar isn’t going to play this year, then most of his evaluation for 2027 consideration is going to take place in August. The Steelers will want to have a very clear idea of what his ceiling is by then — and also a better read on his floor.
But Aaron Rodgers will need snaps, and the team also wants to have a long look at Will Howard. Obviously, the Steelers are going to find plenty of snaps for Drew Allar, both in Latrobe and in the preseason. What will those snaps look like, both regarding his performance and the situations they opt to put him in?
Allar spent the spring going through Mike McCarthy’s QB school. He looked clunky and mechanical, but he’s had months to work on it now. Of course, the coaching staff will want to see improvements soon.
McCarthy is especially keen on footwork, but he already knows Allar can grow there. After the Steelers drafted Allar, he relayed an anecdote about McCarthy asking him when he came to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit what he’d done to improve his footwork between the Combine and his Pro Day. Or something like that, anyway — this spirit of the idea is in there.
But if the Steelers don’t even expect Drew Allar to play this year, how does that manifest in training camp? How much first-team work will he see, for essentially a third-string quarterback?
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin resigning.
We’re already deep into the offseason, with free agency and the draft already reshaping rosters. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
Recommended for you