The Pittsburgh Steelers have several position battles emerging from mandatory minicamp. Some veterans will fight to keep their jobs as training camp approaches, while younger players could reshape the roster. One of the biggest questions, however, remains the quarterback situation. Many assume Will Howard is in a comfortable position to secure the QB2 role, but Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show recently released a roster prediction that could spell trouble for the second-year quarterback.
Kaboly unveiled his early 53-man roster projection ahead of training camp, including his outlook on the Steelers' crowded quarterback room. In his prediction, Mason Rudolph earns a spot on the final roster over Howard, with the Steelers hoping they can retain Howard on the practice squad.
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53-Man Roster Prediction Leaves Howard on the Outside Looking In
Howard has received praise throughout the offseason, dating back to head coach Mike McCarthy's introductory press conference. As a result, Kaboly's early projection may come as a surprise. However, the reasoning becomes clearer upon closer examination. Kaboly breaks down the situation behind Aaron Rodgers and points to a simple reality: the Steelers are unlikely to carry four quarterbacks on the active roster.
“The Steelers don’t seem very interested in doing that. McCarthy has never done that in his 18 years as a head coach. Regardless of what happens in the preseason, Rudolph and Allar slot in at QB2 and QB3, with Howard the odd man out.” Kaboly wrote on X.
Obviously, training camp and preseason performances could alter that dynamic. Still, Rudolph currently projects as the stronger backup option based on experience alone. Does he have the upside Howard possesses? No. Rudolph is a known commodity and has established himself as a high-end NFL backup. Howard, on the other hand, remains largely unproven at the professional level.
The Steelers also are not likely to move on from Drew Allar unless something completely unexpected occurs. The organization invested a day two draft pick in him, and McCarthy hand picked Allar as part of his long-term vision for the quarterback room. With that in mind, Howard could find himself on the outside looking in.
Howard Still Has His Chance
While Kaboly presents this as the most likely outcome, training camp and the preseason still offer plenty of opportunities for change. Howard can continue developing as he receives more reps and gains experience. He could also flash the upside McCarthy has referenced multiple times throughout the offseason.
At this stage, very few roster spots are guaranteed. The backup quarterback job is certainly not one of them. For all we know, Allar's work rebuilding his fundamentals could produce greater progress than expected. For now, however, Allar appears firmly positioned as QB3 in McCarthy's quarterback development school. That leaves Rudolph and Howard competing for the QB2 role, with the loser of that battle potentially finding himself on the outside looking in when the Steelers finalize their 53-man roster.
