Will Howard
Will Howard
Have the Steelers found their four-quarterbacks loophole with a Will Howard injury?
Will Howard did not exit Thursday game with an injury, but he ended the night being evaluated for an apparent head injury. According to reporters after the game, Howard reported an injury to the team during the second half, and he remained in the evaluation process hours later. Sitting here on Saturday morning, that’s still the extent of what we know about the situation.
But with roster decisions on the horizon, it’s easy to wonder what the implications might be. It seems extremely like the Steelers intend to retain all four quarterbacks. But it’s also clear that Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph are the starter and backup, respectively. Will Howard is presumably the emergency quarterback, but that is a less critical role.
It’s reasonable to wonder whether the team would want to exploit any opportunity to retain four quarterbacks without actually rostering all of them on the 53-man roster, at least at the start of the season. If nothing else, it would allow them to keep safe a young player they fear might not clear waivers. While a player can be claimed off waivers whenever he is waived, it tends to happen most often now. So if putting Howard on IR for at least four weeks helps, at least, delay that decision, how tempting might that be?
It would be helpful to know exactly what the issue is, of course. The only thing the media reported from the team was that Will Howard was undergoing evaluation for a “head injury”. That could mean a lot of things, and I suppose doesn’t rule out a concussion evaluation. He didn’t appear to have any obvious cuts or bruises on the sideline after his night was done.
There are at least three or four legitimate ways the Steelers could go with the 53rd spot on the roster, and Howard is a player they are hoping doesn’t have to play this season. And, realistically, it would be more opportunities to get Drew Allar better in-season reps.
But this is only relevant if Howard actually has a legitimate injury. He spent most of last season on IR with a hand injury, for example. Right now, the Steelers still don’t have to disclose injury information. We’re working from scraps at the moment. But given that was know—and don’t know—we can’t rule out a possible IR move to start the season. As has been predicted as a possibility for months.
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 out of 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.