Since being drafted in the sixth round in April, Will Howard has quickly become a fan favorite for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Part of the reason for that is that he could actually have a route toward taking meaningful snaps in 2025, with all the questions the Steelers currently have at quarterback. Chris Canty thinks the Steelers owe it to their veterans to start somebody better than Howard, though.
“I mean, you owe it to the guys in that locker room to give them a competent NFL quarterback,” Canty said Monday on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike. “And I don’t know if Will Howard is gonna be that. You owe it to those guys to get somebody that’s gonna be less of a question mark. I don’t know that going with Will Howard is the solution, because clearly the organization wants to be competitive.”
The Unsportsmanlike crew was responding to comments made earlier on Monday by Mike Tannenbaum, who suggested the Steelers might be better off starting Howard. While it’s easy to like Howard, it’s hard to disagree with Canty here. And that doesn’t mean he won’t end up having a good career.
Putting it all together as a starter in Year 1 is hard for any rookie, let alone a sixth-round pick. But putting everything together is exactly what Howard would have to do if he’s tasked to start.
Considering all the veterans on the Steelers’ roster, it makes sense that they’ve waited as long as they have for Aaron Rodgers. Key players like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and DK Metcalf are only getting older. Pittsburgh also seems to be aiming for the 2026 draft with the hopes of selecting a quarterback as well, knowing Rodgers is a one-year rental anyway. Having him in the building still gives the Steelers their best chance to win in 2025, though. Even if it’s not a great one.
Even if Rodgers doesn’t sign, the Steelers could pursue somebody like Kirk Cousins. If not that, Mason Rudolph still feels like a better option than Howard. He’s familiar with the franchise. The Steelers have at least seen him rally the team into the playoffs in 2023.
Howard may get his chance one day. For now, he’s a sixth-round rookie, currently a second-string quarterback on a team that’s still looking to add to his position. He’s certainly easy to like, but it may be time to pump the brakes on wondering about his playing time. Especially in 2025.
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