Drew Allar Mason Rudolph Steelers four quarterbacks
Drew Allar Mason Rudolph Steelers four quarterbacks
Whether the Steelers keep four quarterbacks is one of the hottest topics in Pittsburgh right now. Charlie Batch just doesn’t see it. A former Steelers quarterback himself, he is very firm on the idea they will keep only three. And he doesn’t believe the team quite knows which one the third is, yet—or rather, the second.
Aaron Rodgers is, of course, the Steelers’ starter among the quarterbacks, and Drew Allar is the shiny new rookie. But between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, somebody has to be the backup. Many are in the camp that believes the team is already firm on Rudolph being the backup, but Batch isn’t quite convinced. He still believes the door is open for Howard to take that role, since he believes the Steelers won’t keep four quarterbacks.
Earlier this week, Gerry Dulac reported the Steelers would keep Howard and Allar, but did not say they would keep four quarterbacks. While he seems to think they will, Rudolph’s spot, he believes, is contingent on them keeping an extra arm. Even if he would be the backup, most likely, in that scenario. A scenario that Batch believes will simply not happen. For what it’s worth, the team has denied Dulac’s report.
“I just don’t believe that, four quarterbacks, you can keep it”, he said on 93.7 The Fan, discussing the Steelers’ situation at the position. “And I still continue to believe that. So again, this is an important game for Will Howard to convince people that he actually can overtake Mason Rudolph for that No. 2”.
Howard is coming off a game in which he threw two interceptions—the same game prior to which HC Mike McCarthy said he didn’t need to see Mason Rudolph because he’d already seen enough. He seems to have the same plan for the Steelers’ final preseason game for their four quarterbacks. Rodgers and Rudolph will watch, and Howard and Allar will play—but who will start?
While many have debated alternatives to the Steelers’ keeping four quarterbacks, Batch doesn’t believe sneaking Will Howard onto the practice squad is an option. He is confident somebody would claim him off the waiver wire. “I just don’t, because of the play that he put out there. And maybe another team that had him evaluated higher a season ago. If you have a needy team, then I just don’t see how Will Howard is able to sneak to the practice squad”, he said.
The Steelers drafted Howard in the sixth round last year, and he missed the entire preseason as a rookie. Earlier this month is the first tape anybody outside of the Steelers organization has gotten tape on the quarterback since college. While he looked better in the first game, he did show plenty to like in the second, as well. Even in the case of the interceptions, there is blame to share based on how the plays unfolded.
But is there enough—anywhere near enough—for the Steelers to be so comfortable in Will Howard that they are willing to keep him as the backup, rather than as another among four quarterbacks? Are they willing to let him be one snap away from potentially starting a stretch of games? I guess they have one more game to figure that out, if they don’t already know what they will do.