Welcome to the Steelers Drew Allar

It really seemed like McCarthy wanted to draft his kind of QB, with Green Bay and Dallas the franchise QB was already on the team when he became HC.

 

Agree. Mike worked with Farve as QB Coach, he didn't pick Rodgers but was his Head Coach when he was elevated to starter.

Dak Prescott is not a McCarthy type of QB, he is a slightly better Kirk Cousins, but was elevated by his coaching. Not good enough to win anything.

Most Head Coaches want 'their guy' at Quarterback.

 

Great comments, and I agree.

I have no idea if Rodgers is coming back or what the current plan is this upcoming season. It's above all our pay grades. What I do know is that Howard and Allar deserve the same look and evaluation. Howard has done everything right since the time he was drafted. He's been a sponge around Rodgers. He has said and done everything the right way, plus he has already experienced a full year apprenticeship on how to prepare to be an NFL quarterback, and now a full NFL offseason to do everything required to put himself in the best position to succeed. I want this kid to be good. I want both of them to be good, but I think Howard should have an advantage based on having that one season under his belt.

I also want Allar to do well, but I don't want anything handed to him. If he is the one that eventually gets a shot, I want it to be because he showed the prerequisite mastery of the playbook and has shown that he is making throws in practice and whatever live action he sees better than Howard.

In a perfect world, Howard gets the opportunity first while Allar still continues to progress behind him. If Howard plays well, then we should all be happy they found someone capable of being at the very least a solid NFL quarterback. Then if Howard struggles or is injured, Allar is given the chance to show what he can do. Hopefully he shows real promise, and there are two young quality quarterbacks in that locker room. If Allar shows that he has surpassed Howard, so be it, but it would be great if we can get to that scenario and see two young men prove they can play at an NFL level. Then whichever quarterback shows the higher ability has the opportunity to see how far they can take it.

I would be shocked if Allar had an edge on Howard if either is asked to play this season. Howard is a more polished and experienced player at this point, and Allar still has mechanical issues that he will be working on and developing.

May the best man win. I hope they both play so well that there is no need to draft a quarterback in 2027. Bringing Rodgers back can delay the developmental process and limit how many snaps each of these players get and that will limit the evaluation process as well. My hope is that the team can see enough in one or both of these guys so that the roster building can continue, and the Steelers have found their next quarterback of the future.

 

THIS. You miss all the opportunities you don't take. They need to keep drafting QBs until they land the next Franchise QB. And hopefully we now have a coach who can develop a QB. I'm all on board with what they've done so far. The only thing we can really ***** about, is that the 2026 draft wasn't one that had a lot of NFL-ready QBs in it. But this guy has all the physical tools. We just need to see if an NFL QB can be made out of him. The competition between him and Howard should be great.

 

I like the pick! I see a big strong kid with a good attitude and head on his shoulders that could be molded with the right coaching, felt like a high character draft which is huge. But then again I like Howard and what he might bring too. Just wish the Rogers would go away so we can move forward. They're going to be learning a new offense so I'm just genuinely excited for the first time in a long time to see where things go even if it takes a little bit.

 

That was certainly worth sharing

 

Moonball Drew?

 

The good and bad on Allar. Are they right??

[note: this was prior to 2025 season, which makes the comments pretty fascinating]

 

well hell, mason rudolph has arm talent, is a 3rd round pick and has many seasons of learning, is a big enough guy. where is his shot in the mike mccarthy system? wasn't he just in a bad system of coaching with tomlin, canada, fitchner and tennessee? all hail drew allar. really? why? what has he done to be the chosen one? let the on field process go on, it will sort itself out.

 

I don't have a strong argument to counter....

 

I found this list in another redundant post so I cut and pasted it here out of kindness to @Joel Buchsbaum


Drew Allar has the tools to succeed in the NFL, but he needs the right system — especially in Year 1. The ideal offense for him is a play-action heavy, pro-style scheme that plays to his strengths while protecting his weaknesses.

Core Foundations:1. Play-Action Threat
Allar is at his best as a play-action quarterback with a big arm. Pair him with a solid ground game and he becomes dangerous. Play-action slows down the pass rush, gives him an extra half-second to set his feet, and lets him attack down the field. A key weapon here should be targeting the tight end — especially someone like Pat Freiermuth a PSU player.. Allar’s height and vision from the pocket allow him to see over the line and deliver strikes to TEs on seams and crossing routes. This should be a foundational part of the offense.


2. Leverage the Big Arm

Allar can zip 8-10 yard outs and comeback routes with elite velocity. The offense should feature these throws regularly. He throws with good zip and can drive the ball into tight windows on the sideline. He should be king in the come back routes. Use his arm talent — don’t hide it.Scheme Philosophy: Keep It Simple (Vanilla)

Allar is smart but not the type who should be asked to process 4- or 5-wide receiver sets early in his career (except on obvious 3rd-and-long). Focus on:

• Pro sets
• 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR)
• 12 personnel (2 TE sets)

This gives him maximum protection - 75% of the time and simplifies his reads. The offense should emphasize quick clock development to fit the 3 seond window: The primary receiver → secondary read. That’s it. Get the ball out on time and let the scheme create easy throws. Mike McCarthy and his staff are excellent at quarterback development — far better than what we had in 2025. They can clean up Allar’s footwork and mechanics in Year 1 while building confidence through a structured, rhythm-based passing game.


3. Mobility & QB Runs
Allar isn’t going to be a dual-threat runner for big yardage, but his size and physicality make him excellent for:

• QB sneaks
• Designed short runs (3 yards or less) behind man coverage
• Scrambles when the pocket collapses (only when he sees green grass)

He needs to develop a strong sense for when to run versus when to throw the ball away in 2026.

Expectations:


By design, Allar shouldn’t start in 2026. Let Aaron Rodgers (if he signs) handle the heavy lifting. But do give Drew meaningful reps — at least 6 quarters of preseason football so he can “cook” and build chemistry with the offense. The goal for Year 1? Be brilliant at the basics. Clean mechanics, sharp footwork, decisive reads, and consistent execution in a simple, play-action friendly system. If McCarthy builds the offense around those principles, Allar has a real chance to develop into a high-level starter!


-JB