Howard or Rudolph?

OtA’s will have a lot to do with pecking order between Allar and Howard

 

Based on how Rooney seemed to say we were going to draft him with our last pick kind of no matter what, my guess is that he's on the initial 53.

But is one of the guys who gets bumped almost immediately in the wave of roster moves that happens right after the initial 53 gets announced.

Seems very likely to make it to the PS IMO.

 

I watch them for a few reasons.

1. It is the Steelers and I am a fan. The games are always televised. You can even mirror your phone to the tv on NFL+ during preseason. I watch every Steelers game live except for those 1 offs on the various streaming services. Those games I watch the replay on NFL+. I refuse to bow to the NFL's pressure to subscribe to 14 different streaming services to see my 17+ games.
2. For many of those players, it may be the only time they get a shot to take the field against another team in the NFL. It is a chance for them to make a case for themselves as to why they should make the cut, or to be considered for another team if the Steelers don't take them.
3. It may be the only look we get at some of them as they will not be starters during the regular season. They will spend the vast majority of the season acting as a cheerleader dressed up as a player. Preseason is especially important for key positions like the QB. You can throw most players in on a few plays during the season and see some of what they have. But the QB does not get that break other than in a blowout game which may not happen at all during the season. If your QB stays healthy all season, take a guy like Howard. No time last year. No time again this year. Next year AR is gone and you now have a 3rd year guy in the most important position who has still not seen the field. Is that who you roll with come game 1?

 

So now 1 year of practice, and 8 preseason games are the same experience as no years of practice, and no preseason games??
Don't know about you, but if we had another Qb on the team with a year of practice, and 8 preseason games, I would call that some experience.
No preseason games, and no year of practice is no experience

 

I just cannot imagine Rudolph being the QB of the future. No matter how I slice it the idea is not something I can really entertain. He just doesn't have that consistency to him, that ability to move the chains in the big game when the defense takes away the run game. So whether he is cut this year's camp, or next year's, it is coming.

Seems like the staff has a thing for Howard, which I understand from the perspective of him being a better fit for the scheme. But his arm is too limited. He's a QB2. I think that's his ceiling.

The rook meanwhile has terrible mechanics, which he did not improve over his time at Penn St. Not only does that concern me, but it tells me he's not in the mix in 2026. I doubt they feel confident they can play him unless they decide to tank the season. That's not to say maybe he can't win some games, but it won't be pretty once DC's dial in on him. He needs to cook on the roster for a year or maybe more.

So I feel like getting excited over this QB group is kind of a waste of time. Maybe Allar can develop. Maybe Howard can be a good QB2. Maybe Rodgers can stay healthy. Just too many maybes for my taste. So the only one that really matters for 2026 is Rodgers staying healthy. After that we're getting into flawed options that feel like longshots. And if Rodgers misses a big chunk of season we're gonna be drafting high most likely which means you take a QB, so it then becomes do we have a bridge QB option we can win with or do they need to go get one.

My guess for the final roster is Rodgers, Howard, Allar. I don't think they keep 4. Keeping 3 is already bad enough, in that it hurts to not use that third slot for special teams. I think Rudolph is odd man out, but preseason should be enlightening there. I don't really care who wins, don't have a horse in the race because I think this is a room in major transition.