The Pittsburgh Steelers head into training camp with an unexpected quarterback dilemma that has little to do with their aging starter and everything to do with who will stand behind him.
Aaron Rodgers is set to play what is expected to be his final NFL season as the team’s clear No. 1. That leaves the competition for the backup roles as one of the more intriguing storylines of the summer. The Steelers currently list four quarterbacks on the roster: Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar.
Head coach Mike McCarthy has jokingly made no secret of his preference. He would like to keep all four if possible.
“We’re hoping Omar (Khan) can get the roster expanded to 55 and we can keep four (QBs),” McCarthy said back during OTAs.
The league, however, is not changing its 53-man roster limit. Someone will have to go, and the decision is not expected to be simple.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor recently projected the Steelers’ final 53-man roster and had Rudolph as the odd man out. That choice comes even though neither Howard nor Allar has taken an NFL snap yet.
“It’s undoubtedly risky to go into the season without a veteran No. 2 quarterback to back up a 42-year-old starter, but the Steelers need to know what they have in both Howard and Allar before next year’s draft,” Pryor wrote. “The organization could be in a position to draft a first-round quarterback out of a strong class, but they need to see how Howard and Allar stack up first. Keeping both of them on the roster to develop them — and potentially step on the field if Rodgers gets hurt — allows them to get a complete evaluation ahead of a pivotal draft.”
Rudolph returned to Pittsburgh last year on a two-year contract worth $7.5 million. Cutting him would create a $1.622 million dead-cap hit, according to available contract data. Still, the long-term picture at the position appears to be shifting away from the veteran.
Rodgers’ presence creates an unusual situation. Had he not returned, Rudolph, Howard and Allar would have battled for the starting job, giving each a realistic chance to play meaningful snaps. With Rodgers under center, the younger players may see limited action outside of garbage time or injury scenarios.
The future after this season remains cloudy. Rodgers is widely expected to retire once the year ends, leaving the Steelers to figure out their next long-term plan at quarterback. Rudolph does not appear likely to factor into those plans if the current projections hold.
On the same day the roster projection circulated, the Steelers officially signed third-round pick Drew Allar to his rookie contract. He was among the last first-year quarterbacks to put pen to paper.
Allar stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 228 pounds, giving him the physical tools teams seek. His mechanics still need refinement, an area where McCarthy has built a strong reputation for developing quarterbacks. In four seasons at Penn State, Allar threw for 7,402 yards, 61 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
His selection at No. 76 overall in the third round raised some eyebrows at the time. Looking back, that moment may have marked the beginning of the end for Rudolph’s second stint in Pittsburgh.
Training camp is about to open, and the quarterback room will face close scrutiny from the coaching staff. McCarthy and his assistants must decide whether experience or developmental upside carries more weight for a team that already has a future Hall of Famer starting under center.
The risk of entering the season without a proven backup is real, especially behind a 42-year-old starter. At the same time, the organization wants clear answers on Howard and Allar before next year’s draft class, which is expected to be strong at the position.
For now, the projection points toward Rudolph becoming the casualty of a crowded quarterback group. Whether that holds once the pads come on and practices heat up remains to be seen.
The Steelers have tough choices ahead, and the clock is ticking toward final roster cuts.
