The Pittsburgh Steelers' front office continued the trend of beefing up the trenches in the 2025 NFL Draft. Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black were selected to help the defensive line, and the selection of ball carrier Kaleb Johnson only enhanced the belief that the team will continue think run first, regardless of who is under center at quarterback. The offensive line has been revamped over the course of the last few seasons, but one thing that is still a mystery when it comes to the unit is the long-term plan at signal-caller. No one currently knows what that may be.
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Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson runs with the football as he goes through a drill while the team participates in a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
General Manager Omar Khan did take a flier later on in the 2025 NFL Draft when Ohio State quarterback Will Howard ended up falling all the way to the sixth round. Despite some early excitement for the rookie, he suffered a broken bone on one of his fingers during a freak accident in practice. This has prevented him from playing in any preseason contest, and he is expected to sit out for the finale on Thursday, too.
Meanwhile, Sklar Thompson has made the most out of his opportunities, which has started to make some question which signal-caller will earn the third spot on the depth chart. It seems crazy to not give Howard the benefit of the doubt, but Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter, Ray Fittipaldo, recently said on the North Short Drive podcast that the roster decision could be different from what fans think.
"Yeah, Skylar's kind of forced their decision here," Fittipaldo said. "They honestly do have a very tough decision to make here. They can evaluate the practices, but you and I both know Mike Tomlin puts more weight on these preseason games, and when you don't have anything to go by there [with Howard], that's [an] advantage [for] Skylar Thompson."
What originally seemed to not be a competition at all has turned into a complicated situation. Whichever quarterback does not end up making the initial 53-man roster (assuming the Steelers stick to their trend of keeping just three) will likely end up getting picked up by at least one of the other 31 teams throughout the NFL. It makes the upcoming decision much more difficult for the front office and Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin yells in the direction of one of his players as the team warms up prior to a professional football game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
It will be interesting to see just how successful Thompson is against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday evening. It has to be hard for a coaching staff to part ways with an experienced quarterback that has starting experience if that individual has a phenomenal preseason. Howard, on the other hand, has not been available to showcase his abilities in a live format.
There is always the off chance that the Steelers decide to make room on the roster for all four quarterbacks to remain, but it's extremely unlikely. The franchise has always valued holding spots for other positions. On top of that, if one either Howard or Thompson make it down to the practice squad, any organization throughout the league can sign that player directly to its active roster.
The fan base is probably leaning towards Howard in regards to this decision, but the coaching staff may not be seeing it quite as clearly, which is suggested by Fittipaldo in his recent appearance on the podcast. It certainly is intriguing to think about the prospect of Tomlin and co. cutting Howard, and deciding to keep Thompson, regardless of how insane it may sound.
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Steelers quarterback Will Howard gets ready to unleash a pass as he works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers' Howard Has 1 Thing Truly Working In His Favor
When Howard was drafted in the sixth round, he ended up signing a four-year rookie contract. Thompson is only playing on a deal that lasts for just the 2025 season. The simple idea of having a young and promising signal-caller through the 2028 campaign cannot go unnoticed. If the two are really neck and neck for the final spot on the depth chart, Howard's cheap contract may be what keeps him around the Steel City.
Do you think that there is any chance that the Steelers cut Howard? Let us know in the comments below!
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