Steelers' Will Howard Looks A Cut Above During OTAs And Could Nab QB2 Position

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the thick of 2026's offseason activities. With Organized Team Activities (OTAs) continuing, the Black and Gold's young talent will have the opportunity to display their game, with most of Pittsburgh's veteran players working away from the team. With many rookies and young players looking to carve out larger roles, this period is crucial for their development. Among players looking to show out are the Steelers' young quarterbacks, Drew Allar and Will Howard, who are the blueprint for the future at the position. 

Howard is playing in his second year in a Steelers uniform. The 2025 sixth-round pick and College Football Playoff national champion missed out on a lot of key reps in his rookie campaign. After suffering a finger injury during training camp, the signal-caller missed all of preseason. He spent a lot of the 2025 regular season on the Injured Reserve and was finally reinstated to the 53-man roster in November. He served as the team's emergency third quarterback for the remainder of the season. Howard missing so many reps means that he is just now finally getting a full taste of an NFL offseason, with a new offense to boot. 

Even with all of these challenges, many Steelers pundits have commended Howard on his poise and how well he's been playing so far. With the Steelers having two young gunslingers and a veteran in Mason Rudolph backing up Aaron Rodgers, Howard can make a case for himself to become the primary backup. Steelers beat writers Gerry Dulac and Christopher Carter spoke after OTAs and hinted that Howard may have a leg up on the QB2 spot. This conversation was posted on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's YouTube channel. 

"It’s really gonna come down to Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. I will say this: I know there’s no defenders coming after them, and I know no one’s hitting them, but Will Howard has looked pretty good," Dulac said. 

Howard becoming the backup could become a reality, as the Steelers' keeping four quarterbacks continues to be the hot topic of discussion. If Howard can outplay the veteran, it would only make sense for the organization to go with him. He's younger and cheaper, with a ton of upside. Rudolph's time in the Steel City could be in jeopardy if Howard continues to nip at his heels. If the former Buckeye even comes close to Rudolph, Pittsburgh will have to go with the younger guy. 

The Steelers' quarterback situation will continue to get interesting as the offseason plays out. With Dulac and Carter agreeing that Howard has looked solid, the narrative continues to change. With some pundits earlier in the offseason talking about Howard potentially being a cut or practice squad candidate, his stock is rising. With the way the front office and coaching staff have stepped up their quarterback development system, it's no shock that Howard is thriving. The young player has the chance to earn a much larger role than originally anticipated. 

Steelers Need To See What They Have In Their Young Talent

Pittsburgh knows what it has in Rudolph; he's come in some big moments and played well, but the Steelers need to prioritize developing their young core. With Rodgers making it known that he's going to hang up his cleats after the 2026 season, the team has to be ready to insert one of its young signal-callers into this system. With a veteran backup taking away their reps, the pair of Howard and Allar won't have the same number of chances to thrive. 

The question now is: do the Steelers value a quality backup over developing youth? With the front office making it known that the team will strive for a championship in 2026, that may be a reason that Rudolph is kept. However, looking down the line, getting the young players their reps may prove to be more valuable, especially if Howard can continue to grow as a player. 

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