How many reps will Will Howard get now that Aaron Rodgers is in the building?
While the Steelers finally have Aaron Rodgers, they’re also surely intrigued by Will Howard, their rookie sixth-round quarterback. They are not about to stake their future on the former Buckeye, but seeing what they have in him is surely a goal they have in mind. Now that he is clearly no higher than the QB3, however, how many reps can they find for him?
The simple process of physical repetition is one of the most obvious yet scarce resources for young, developing players. That is especially true for quarterbacks, but with only one on the field at a time, what is the strategy? The Browns have divided practice into two separate units. I don’t see the Steelers going that for Will Howard, however, as there is no competition.
Indeed, Rodgers’ tardiness may complicate things, as he has some catching up to do. While he’s been in the league for a couple decades and has presumably familiarized himself with much of the offense, you still need to practice. Will Howard got reps during OTAs, but what about from this point forward?
It’s worth noting that Howard has already taken the initiative to work out after practice with other rookies. As he told reporters, it is an effort to make up for the reps that he isn’t seeing in practice. With a new starting quarterback thrown into the mix, it stands to reason there will be even fewer reps.
Of course, the Steelers are not devoting this season to finding out everything they can about Howard. It’s likely that they also trust him to get in any work he possibly can, his self-motivational drive being one of his most attractive traits.
But let’s face it: the third quarterback doesn’t see many reps, and Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph need work. Rudolph might be familiar to the Steelers, but not to this offense, this offensive line, or most of the rest. Unless Will Howard is in a dead heat with Skylar Thompson, this could quickly look like a redshirt year.
The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. While they ultimately traded George Pickens, they have other decisions to make. The 2025 NFL Draft class is now behind us, so most of the roster construction is complete.
But we still have a long offseason ahead for Steelers football, or football in shorts. At least we can finally put the Aaron Rodgers situation to bed, and move on to other things. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go.
Matthew Marczi
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