Steelers player in danger of losing starting job to rookie after 2026 NFL Draft

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Steelers player in danger of losing starting job to rookie after 2026 NFL Draft

Yago Antunes, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, May 4, 2026 ·

6 min read

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The quarterback situation in Pittsburgh has become increasingly competitive, even before Aaron Rodgers makes his final decision. Will Howard has gained early attention as the safer option for Week 1 over Drew Allar .

According to Matt Miller, if the team had to choose one of the young quarterbacks to start right away, it would be Howard.

Allar, selected at No. 76 following the George Pickens trade , has a bigger long-term potential but arrives with some questions after an inconsistent final season at Penn State.

The unique UFA tender placed on Rodgers adds another layer of complexity, as the franchise is trying to keep the option open for the veteran while also preparing for the possibility of his departure.

If Rodgers signs the tender, it will pay him roughly $15 million while preserving the team's rights heading into training camp.

Despite the initial buzz, Howard is the player most at risk.

This might sound counterintuitive given the early discussions surrounding Week 1, but it highlights the need to monitor the situation closely.

Howard has the immediate advantage because he has spent a year in the organization, and he understands the pace of NFL preparation, is familiar with the terminology, and provides the coaching staff with a more stable short-term option if Rodgers remains absent.

A second-year quarterback with knowledge of the system often performs better in May than a rookie attempting to adapt college habits to a professional offense.

Howard holds the initial advantage, but not the entire job

Howard's edge is genuine and should not be underestimated.

Coaches typically prefer the quarterback who can effectively organize the offense, avoid mistakes, manage protections, and maintain team structure, and this is especially important in Pittsburgh, where the roster isn't designed for a long, experimental season.

If Rodgers does not return, the coaching staff may favor the player with more experience in the program, as he provides a more reliable starting point.

However, that starting point can quickly diminish once practices become more competitive.

Howard faces the challenge of relying on comfort, while Allar's value lies in his raw traits.

Comfort may help a quarterback excel in the initial stages of competition, but traits are crucial for sustaining performance as the coaching staff assesses who can offer more to the offense in the later months of the season.

Allar is bigger, possesses a stronger arm, and was drafted higher than Howard for good reason.

Although a third-round pick doesn't guarantee future success, the investment indicates that the front office viewed Allar as a serious developmental option and not just a practice squad player.

This disparity between the two situations places pressure on Howard, and if he performs well during training camp, he can maintain his position as the starter, but if the offense appears constrained under his leadership or if drives heavily rely on minimizing risk, Allar will gain traction.

He simply needs to show that his mistakes are correctable and that his potential is worth the wait, as a young quarterback with significant physical ability can prompt a coaching staff to rethink their timelines sooner than anticipated.

Allar was a strategic move against that uncertainty and a calculated risk that his best performances are still ahead, and Mike McCarthy described the pick as part of the plan to develop the quarterback room, positioning Allar as a longer-term asset while ensuring he remains relevant in the immediate competition.

This context puts Howard in a precarious position in the end.

The coaching staff can assert that the rookie needs time, yet still increase Allar's workload if he deserves it.

Allar's challenges may not hinder his progress for long

The criticism surrounding Allar is considerable.

Bruce Feldman's report, referenced during the draft discussion , highlighted concerns from evaluators about his performance under pressure and what has been described as "performance anxiety."

A Big Ten coach also questioned whether Penn State fully utilized Allar's strengths, suggesting that the Steelers ' coaching staff might provide a better opportunity for him to thrive.

This perspective is significant, and the concern is about whether his college environment complicated the evaluation process more than necessary.

A more realistic objective for him is to show the coaching staff that his issues are situational and not permanent, and if he demonstrates improved processing in a more structured offense, maintains accuracy during red-zone and third-down situations, and translates his arm talent to the faster pace of the NFL, the conversation will shift.

Coaches can be patient with a young quarterback learning on the job, as they struggle more with a quarterback who appears to have hit a ceiling.

Howard must ensure that the competition doesn't evolve into a debate about ceilings.

If the coaching staff begins to believe that Howard can merely keep the offense functional while Allar has the potential to expand it, his experience will provide less of a safety net.

This dynamic frequently influences these competitions, and the safer option often starts with an advantage, but as the younger player gains a few reps with the first team, the coaching staff might notice a throw that the veteran cannot make.

Consequently, the preseason focus shifts away from who knows the playbook better to who can shape the future of the offense.

Additionally, there's the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers.

His unresolved status creates a rare opportunity for both young quarterbacks, as if Rodgers returns, Howard and Allar will likely compete for backup roles and future positioning.

However, if he does not return, Howard might begin the summer as the preferred choice.

Still, Allar's third-round draft status ensures that he will receive significant developmental attention, and the organization cannot afford to treat a draft pick that high as an afterthought, especially after years of relying on patchwork veteran solutions at quarterback.

Therefore, his task is not just to stay ahead of Allar, as he must make the coaching staff comfortable enough to delay the rookie's timeline.

This requires more than simply knowing the offense because it necessitates command, scoring production, and adequate downfield efficiency to convince McCarthy that the offense isn't missing out on potential plays.

Allar will have his own challenges ahead, and the criticisms stemming from his college tape cannot be ignored.

An ankle injury cut his final season short, and concerns about his temperament under pressure will linger until he proves otherwise, but in Pittsburgh, he has the chance to reset the narrative in a professional environment with a coaching staff that can deliberately guide his development.

Among Pittsburgh players facing rookie pressure, Howard is the obvious choice because the quarterback position amplifies every indication of progress, as a rookie lineman can quietly push for snaps, and a defensive back can rotate in without affecting the public conversation, and in contrast, a quarterback battle becomes the focal point as soon as the rookie strings together a few strong practices.

So, he may still be the choice for Week 1 if Rodgers remains absent because he has a cleaner short-term case and a head start within the offense, but Allar brings a higher draft investment, a more impressive physical profile, and a longer development timeline.

This combination makes Howard's hold on the job real but precarious, especially if the rookie shows that the challenges faced at Penn State in 2025 only tell part of his story.

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