The Steelers are facing a bit of a dilemma. Currently, Pittsburgh has four quarterbacks on its roster who could all secure a spot on the 53-man active roster after the preseason. However, most teams typically don’t carry that many quarterbacks during the regular season.
Aaron Rodgers will definitely make the roster, along with 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard will compete for the last quarterback spot.
Could Rudolph be on the Move?
While Rudolph is likely in the driver’s seat to make the roster over Howard as a veteran, the Steelers could also look to trade Rudolph.
ESPN’s New York reporter Jake Asman suggested on Wednesday that the New York Jets should look to trade for Rudolph to back up Geno Smith.
“The Jets could be in the market for a veteran QB… Mason Rudolph’s name has come up,” Asman said, via 93.7 The Fan’s Donny Chedrick.
New York doesn’t have a deep quarterback room. It did sign Smith this offseason to a one-year $3.3 million deal, but his backup at the moment is rookie Cade Klubnik. The Jets drafted Klubnik with the 110th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he likely isn’t ready to play this season. If Smith misses time, the Jets would need a veteran backup, and Rudolph could be a good fit.
Rudolph has 19 career starts in six seasons, and he could keep the Jets afloat for a little while, just in case.
Will Howard Never Got a Chance to Shine For the Steelers Last Season
The Steelers drafted Howard with the 185th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he never saw any action last season. Howard suffered a fractured pinky finger on his throwing hand during training camp last season and never got a chance to play in a single preseason game. Even though Rodgers was going to be the starter all season, it would have been nice for the Steelers to see if Howard had NFL talent. Missing the entire preseason hurt his chances.
Howard had the opportunity to play against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 of the 2026 preseason, and he performed well. He completed 7 out of 9 passes for a total of 86 yards. The only drawback was that Allar played exceptionally well; he completed 10 out of 13 passes, throwing for 153 yards and two touchdowns, and head coach Mike McCarthy liked what he saw from both players.
“I like the way our quarterbacks ran the offense and that’s the big thing. . . . I thought they were very poised,” McCarthy said, via Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper. “I liked the way all three of them played, especially our young guys. I liked the way Will responded. . . . He did a good job overcoming some long down on distances, and I thought his two-minute drill was outstanding. And I thought Drew played very, very well.
It would be beneficial to keep both Allar and Howard on the roster. They are both young, but if the Steelers lose Rodgers during the season, they’ll lack NFL experience, which could hurt their chances of winning.
Analyst Urges Steelers to Send Mason Rudolph to Rising AFC Squad