The backup quarterback battle between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard is one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most anticipated training camp battles. With starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and recent third-round pick Drew Allar being roster locks, Rudolph and Howard are battling for what may be just one spot.
Howard represents a young quarterback the team can develop for the future. On the other hand, Rudolph is a proven backup who has experience keeping the Steelers afloat. Analyst Nick Shook thinks that is a massive benefit.
“There’s some who have a theory that Rudolph’s just not going to be on the roster. I have a hard time believing that,” Shook said Monday on the NFL Daily show. “Somebody’s poaching him from the practice squad, because there are worse backup situations in the NFL than Pittsburgh. And that’s why I can’t really see that as a feasible option, if you believe that you’re gonna compete.”
Shook is correct that there are plenty of worse backup quarterbacks around the NFL. The Steelers have a good problem on their hands, having both Howard and Rudolph. But especially as injuries may occur during camp and the preseason, another team around the league might fancy Rudolph enough to steal him if he’s on the practice squad.
However, McCarthy came here to develop the quarterback of the future. If he keeps the two youngsters, one of them will be thrust into action if Rodgers gets injured. That would give the Steelers a chance to evaluate Howard in a high-intensity situation. But Shook isn’t so sure that’s a good thing.
“You’re in a bad spot if you’re turning to Will Howard or Drew Allar to try and carry your team,” Shook said.
If Rodgers were to go down, Howard would probably be the first to replace him. And in reality, the Steelers wouldn’t be expecting him to “carry” the team. The Steelers made some nice additions around the offense, enough to give a younger quarterback like Howard a real chance.
If they’re in the thick of the playoff race, Rudolph is a more comfortable option. But Pittsburgh needs to see what it has in Howard at some point and evaluate if there was any truth to all the offseason praise. The good news is we aren’t too far from seeing this play out, as training camp is right around the corner. When camp begins, Shook thinks Rudolph will likely clinch his roster spot.
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