Howard or Rudolph?

I'm not suggesting this but all things being equal I think Mason's cap savings is not very big so 4 quarterbacks could be in play

Camp and Preseason will sort this out

If it doesn't then it is because no one has stepped up

 

Injuries always happen to QBs in offseason/preseason. Hell... Howard didn't play a snap last year in preseason, much to his detriment.

 

Since the Steelers have no plan to play Drew Allar this season, I think they make up an injury designation for him and put him on IR. They way they will have the same QB room as last season. Rodgers, Rudolph and Howard.

 

Who are you betting starts the Preseason against Green Bay?

I am thinking it is going to be Mason for the 1st QTR to show he still has the backup stuff, and then Howard for the 2nd game, and lastly Drew for the 3rd game. If Mason is playing in the 3rd game he is in trouble.



We are not the Browns, so we are not going to keep 4 QBs on the active roster. (Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Green.)

 

The part in the middle seems reasonable

 

If Rogers was 32 instead of 42, I'd dump Mason to the UFL in a heartbeat. I just don't think you can go into the season with a 6th round guy, without a NFL snap, as the primary backup. If he beats out Mason, then sure. But I'd still keep Mason around as 3rd string, having experience can still help this room. I'd try to find a way to keep 4 or push Allar to the IR and have him redshirt the season.

 

I hate the Idea of Allar on the IR, because that means he doesn't get to practice with the team or coaches during the regular season. I want Allar to be ready to go to compete for the starting QB job in 2027.

This is the same reason I don't believe in Howard as the backup QB in 2026.

 

Having to rebuild Allar from the ground up really throws a massive wrench in short and long-term plans. Frankly, guy may never be a option.

 

By some method, and more than camp and preseason, they have to be certain of what they have in Howard and Allar before next years draft.

 

I will never understand the Landry Jones Mason comparison.
Hell Mason has played more NFL games than Landry had years in the NFL.
Landry Jones: 8 overall tds, 7ints.
Mason Rudolph: 33 overall tds, 23 ints.
One even scored 2 tds in a playoff game.

 

Let me know if this is wrong.

Did Kenny Picket as a rookie beat out Veteran Mason Ruddolph to be the Steelers backup to Mitch Trubisky in 2022

Mitch started the first 4 games and then Kenny took over in the middle of the week 4 game and became the Steelers starting QB in Week 5 and then for the rest of the season.

So, I ask again in this thread... Why can't Rookie Drew Allar compete for the backup job in 2026?

 

He can and will

Draft pedigree counted more with the marathon man

 

Difference in inexperience.
8 preseason games, and a full year of practice for a genius Qb Josh Dobbs.
No preseason games , and no full year of practice for the guys on our team now outside of Rodgers, and Mason.
I guess someone could break their necks trying to say 8 preseason games, and a full year of practice before becoming a backup is the same as none, but we know its not.

 

It doesn't take a genius to understand why coaches like to go into the season with an experienced backup QB. However, not all situations are the same. When you have a franchise QB, having an experienced backup is paramount if an injury should occur to the starter. Mason is more than capable to win a few games while the starter is out. The problem is, does anyone have realistic expectations that either Rodgers or Mason could make a run at a SB?

Think about this: if they go with Rodgers and Mason this year, giving Allar or Howard no significant playing time, then what about next year? What happens if Rodgers retires and Mason leaves? Or maybe Mason stays and now you still have one average starter who's not a franchise guy and a bunch of others behind him with no experience.
The Steelers have got to find a way to get the QB situation figured out for the future.

 

That's why I've been saying this would have been a good mulligan season for McCarthy. See what we got with Howard and Allar. No pressure... just let the QBs play and let the chips fall where they may. Now.. we'll probably draft a QB next year in the first round and potentially have 3 QBs with very little snaps and experience in 2027.... if Rodgers plays all 17 games, this year.

Steelers ain't winning squat with 43 year old Rodgers and Rudolph.

 

I think you're right.

If it was the old staff, maybe we could get away with not playing Mason at all.

But he's not a known commodity to this coaching group in whatever offense MM will bring. I think they need to give him some (small) amount of work.

Too bad they trimmed a preseason game. It's good for the red**** / bottom of the roster types to get a chance to prove something.

 

This is exactly what's going to happen. Obviously Rodgers isn't coming back next year when he turns 44 and Rudolph's contract is up at the end of the season. So next year we are going to draft a QB and have 3 QB's on the roster who have never taken an NFL snap. That's why it makes no sense to have Rudolph on the roster this season. He's lost 6 out of his last 7 NFL starts including his last 2 starts for the Steelers so it's not like he would keep the team afloat during a Rodgers absence anyway.

 

Allar should see about two-and-a-half quarters of action this preseason and roughly 60 passing attempts in camp. That workload should give the Steelers a clear look at his current floor. With the good coaching he’s going to get in Pittsburgh, he’s better equipped as he has the bigger arm by a good margin. I’m particularly drawn to his ball security (very low fumble numbers) and low interception rate. I think he was a victim of bad coaching and limited receiving options in college. The goal for him in camp isn’t to force a roster battle this year; it’s to start developing his game with an eye toward 2027. Judgment day for Allar comes in March 2027: Is he just a backup, or is he something more? I think Allar at 22 is not fully mature physically.

Howard’s 2025 camp numbers as the third-string quarterback were impressive: 37-of-57 (64.9%) for 335 yards, 8 touchdowns, and just 1 interception (5.9 yards per attempt, 9.1 yards per completion). The concerns I kept hearing were about his arm strength specifically the air he needed on anything beyond short 5-yard throws and the lack of velocity on the football. Supposedly his arm has improved a little this offseason. We’ll see.

For Howard, the plan is straightforward: Can he win the backup job in 2026? If the answer is no, he’s likely out. For Allar, it’s about unlocking the upside. If Howard fails to win the back up job and Allar does not develop enough... we are drafting a Qb high in 2027. So there are two very different timelines for two young quarterbacks the Steelers are evaluating this summer.

 

Are Howard and Allar getting preseason game reps with the #1's? I'll believe that when I see it. Wouldn't be surprised if Rodgers plays a few quarters and Rudolph will likely get the most snaps with #1's. Only 3 games of snaps to go around... plus only 3-1/2 quarters out of 12, at most, with the A-team.

 

I think you are going to be disappointed in Aaron not playing at all in preseason.

In 2024 Dak got no snaps, and then pretty much all preseason snaps went to their new young 3rd string QB Trey Lance. Mason will be lucky to see a QTR of the 1st game. I am expecting a lot of Drew Allar in preseason.

Mike Mcarthy's 2024 Preseason. Cooper Rush was the veteran backup, and Trey Lance was the new pretty toy Mccarthy traded for.

FYI. This is the year Trey Lance would play an entire preseason game throwing 5 Ints!!!