With the Pittsburgh Steelers reaching a deal with Aaron Rodgers , the biggest question surrounding the organization might now be about the future of the quarterback position.
That conversation only intensified after Pittsburgh selected former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the third round while also having in sixth-round pick Will Howard .
Former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch recently spoke on on 93.7 The Fan last week about explaining the challenge of developing multiple young quarterbacks at the same time, explaining that eventually a coaching staff has to decide which player gives them the best opportunity long term and fully invest their attention into that quarterback.
"You have to focus on which one you think gives you the best opportunity," Batch said. "Anytime you draft a third-rounder, the third-rounder gets more opportunity."
howard
That comment feels especially relevant when looking at Pittsburgh's current quarterback room.
While Howard has become a favorite amongst the fanbase because of his leadership and national championship success at Ohio State, the reality is that third-round draft capital carries significant weight inside NFL organizations. The Steelers not only invested more into Allar financially, but they also invested more organizational belief into him as a long-term projection.
And from a traits standpoint, it is not difficult to understand why.
Before an inconsistent senior season and a season-ending ankle injury hurt his draft stock, Allar was once viewed as one of the top quarterback prospects in the class. Even without elite college accolades, many evaluators still believed his physical tools translated more naturally to the NFL level.
The film shows a quarterback with prototypical NFL size, high-end arm talent and the ability to make difficult throws outside of structure. His consistency and processing still need development, but the ceiling is evident and significantly higher than most developmental quarterbacks taken outside the first round.
Howard deserves credit for doing exactly what was asked of him at Ohio State. He played efficient football, operated within structure and helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship. However, from a projection standpoint, many scouts viewed him as a lower-ceiling prospect whose game relied more on execution and surrounding talent than rare physical traits.
That does not mean Howard cannot carve out a role or even surprise people long term. But Batch's point remains important. NFL teams rarely develop two young quarterbacks equally at the same time. Eventually, the organization has to identify which player they truly believe in and commit the majority of those developmental reps, resources and coaching attention toward him.
With OTAs beginning May 18, every rep between Howard and Allar will be heavily watched. While Rodgers will be under center in 2026, the real focus may quietly be on which young quarterback the Steelers eventually decide is worth building around for the future.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Charlie Batch Believes Steelers Must Eventually Choose Between Drew Allar, Will Howard
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