Will Howard’s injury could end up being a solution for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback problem ahead of roster cutdown day
He could be the major fix.
Will Howard’s hand injury has created a chain effect in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback room.
Skylar Thompson, who was supposed to be a camp arm, stepped into the QB3 spot, and he still hasn’t looked back, so much so that many have pondered if the team would be better off keeping Thompson over Mason Rudolph.
Well, there is a world where all four make the roster…
Putting Will Howard on IR could solve the Steelers’ QB issue
Here’s the issue. It’s impossible to argue that Thompson hasn’t played better than Rudolph through camp and the preseason. If you want to take that with a grain of salt and say that Rudolph still deserves a spot on the team, I won’t push back.
What can’t be argued, however, is that Howard would be a better third option than Thompson. Sure, he was dominating in camp, but he’s a rookie who has yet to play in an exhibition, much less a playoff game like Thompson.
So the solution? Put Howard on injured reserve. He would miss the first four weeks at least, but he could stay there for the duration of the season, so the Steelers could keep Rudolph and Thompson as backups.
Because let’s be honest, injured reserve or not, Howard was never going to play in the regular season in 2025. If he did, it meant the season went terribly sideways. It’s why his preseason was so anticipated before the hand injury.
That’s not to say Thompson would save the season if Rodgers and Rudolph went down, but he has experience doing something similar with the Miami Dolphins. Plus, if you’re Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, you can’t preach that in-stadium ventures matter more than practice, watch what Thompson did in the preseason, and think the team is better off if it cuts him.
I understand that Pittsburgh has been there and done that with Rudolph, but it’s a what have you done for me lately league, and lately, Thompson has been the best backup on the roster.
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