The Pittsburgh Steelers adjusted their quarterback depth chart following the final open organized team activity practice on June 11, 2026, as multiple players compete for backup roles behind veteran starter Aaron Rodgers.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette analyzed the backup competition, which features sixth-round pick Will Howard, rookie third-rounder Drew Allar, and veteran Mason Rudolph vying for limited roster spots under new head coach Mike McCarthy.
"No. 1, [Aaron] Rodgers still has it.
No. 2, the Steelers are gonna give Will Howard every opportunity to win that backup job in the summer," Fittipaldo said.
Howard consistently took repetitions as the primary backup during spring workouts and is expected to maintain that position heading into training camp, though he must sustain his performance during preseason games to secure the job.
"I just think they're looking for something more," Fittipaldo said. "They're looking for a future starter, and I think they wanna find out about Will Howard.
I think that's the No. 1 reason they're giving him all the reps here this spring."
The performance of both Howard and rookie Drew Allar, selected 76th overall in April, has shown inconsistency during team and individual drills throughout the spring session.
"Up and down, and Howard too," Fittipaldo said.
"Howard's had some good moments and some bad moments too, and I think I would put Drew Allar in that same category…There are times in individual where you kinda look at him, and you're like, 'Okay, he's trying to get it,' and then there are times in team period where he'll just go out there, and he'll sling it downfield, and he'll look great."
Fittipaldo noted that the prioritized competition between Howard and Rudolph will limit preseason opportunities for Allar as he undergoes a developmental period.
"I still think this is gonna be a redshirt year for him," Fittipaldo said. "I would not expect him to get a ton of [preseason] snaps."
Analysts have raised questions regarding the franchise's long-term planning at the quarterback position over the past few years following previous draft outcomes.
"There isn't a playoff-type team that has taken the quarterback position less seriously than the Steelers have over the past three years," wrote ESPN analyst Dan Graziano.
Graziano expressed skepticism regarding the team's reliance on Rodgers following his statistical output last season, which included 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
"It's as if the Kenny Pickett first-round flop broke their will and they've decided it's just not worth it to try for real answers," Graziano wrote.
The current roster structure has led national media outlets to project Rudolph as a potential salary cap casualty before the regular season begins.
"The Steelers might attempt to carry four quarterbacks or explore trade options, but neither outcome seems particularly likely.
If no trade materializes, Rudolph might find himself released before Week 1," wrote Bleacher Report analyst Alex Kay.
Kay identified the Denver Broncos as a logical destination for Rudolph to upgrade their depth behind starter Bo Nix following Jarrett Stidham's performance in the previous AFC Championship Game.
"Should that happen, the Denver Broncos would be a logical landing spot.
The Broncos need an upgrade to Jarrett Stidham in wake of last year's AFC Championship Game calamity, and Rudolph fits the bill as the ideal QB2 behind Bo Nix," Kay wrote.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton indicated contentment with his current quarterback group, which features Nix alongside Stidham and Sam Ehlinger.
"I think considerably," Payton said, noting the progress Ehlinger has made within the team's offensive terminology and schematic rhythm over the course of the offseason program.
