Will Howard
Will Howard
Can Will Howard save his roster spot?
If Will Howard is third on the depth chart—and he’s not second, because Mason Rudolph is—then he’s really fourth. Rookie third-round draft pick Drew Allar is certainly not going anywhere, so Howard needs to move up the depth chart. Either that, or he needs to convince the coaches that they need to keep four quarterbacks.
So far, the reviews from training camp on Will Howard are not very compelling. Yes, it’s still somewhat early, and we haven’t even played a preseason game yet. But the Steelers’ last training camp practice in Latrobe is a week from Monday, so it’s not like we’re at the starting line in this race.
There was a point earlier this offseason at which people are having a legitimate debate over whether the Steelers should ride Will Howard as the starting quarterback this season and see what happens. Rounding into the heart of August, it’s not even clear he will be on the team. Aaron Rodgers is the starter, and so far, Mason Rudolph is clearly the second-best quarterback on the roster. Some even believe that Drew Allar has shown more, even if less consistently, than Howard.
Suffice it to say, that’s not going to cut it. It would take an extraordinary set of circumstances for the Steelers to carry four quarterbacks. Howard could make it one, but right now, it doesn’t appear that he is. He has made some throws here and there, but it seems those most willing to rave about what they see and hear have ties to Ohio State.
Meanwhile, HC Mike McCarthy continues to rave about Mason Rudolph. At several points this offseason since practices began, he has gone out of his way to highlight, basically, how much better he is than he expected him to be. So if Rudolph is firmly entrenched as the backup, then, well, where does that leave Will Howard?
It certainly may be on the outside looking in, a distinct possibility as he get into September. Obviously, the Steelers don’t want to cut him, but if he isn’t a part of their best 53, then he’s not. If he doesn’t show appreciable growth this offseason—and this is the time for him to develop—how realistic is it that he’ll be their franchise quarterback a year from now?
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 into training camp, 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.