Will Howard

Not to pick on you specifically, but that idea has been bounced around by several people, and I don't see that.

I'll agree that he has been relegated to being a BU. That his ceiling is not like the elite QBs in the league.
But I think he is/can be a starter.
But like a better version of Neil O'Donnell, not the next coming of Ben.
He won't be carrying the team on his back to victory. However, when he isn't suffering the brain fog of concussions, the offensive players around him seem to play better.

I think back to the 2023 season.
Seattle and Cincinnati didn't make the playoffs, but they did finish with winning records so they weren't terrible.
If we look at the 16 games they played that didn't involve Mason, Seattle gave up 30+ points in 6 games, and Cincinnati 4 games. They weren't being steamrolled on a regular basis.
The Steelers offense was averaging under 16 points a game at that point, and with Mason at the helm they scored 30+ in consecutive games.
That seems to me someone who CAN be a (non-elite) starter, and CAN stack some wins, but that teams prefer to go fishing for the next HoF-caliber QB.

 

Tough to say he’s a “better version of Neil O’Donnell”. Remember, N.O. took us to one SB and probably more if he had not left. Didn’t do it single-handedly but SB nevertheless. Mason is comparable to Tommy Maddox. Bridge player and serviceable but not someone to build a franchise with

 

I like our QB room

 

I didn't say "is".
Saying that is the target to be considered when discussing what Mason could do for the team.
Especially when people point out that he won't get 6 TDs in one game like Allen.
Neil's passing stats were never outstanding, but he kept the offense humming.

 

And they like you

 

NOD did not take the Steelers to a SB the rest of the team took him to one

He was very mediocre

The matter of the 5 yard out pattern on 3rd and 7