"Absolute Cannon": Steelers Rookie Drew Allar Excites Insider But A Warning Is Issued

The Pittsburgh Steelers have entered training camp with plenty of attention on the quarterback room. With Aaron Rodgers the confirmed starter in his last professional season, there has been a lot of debate regarding how the Steelers work with their backups and young core. Thinking about now and the future, there are multiple options to consider for their backup quarterback in 2026, which is where the big battle is at this summer.

That backup spot is between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, which at this point appears to be leaning towards the veteran in Rudolph. That makes things difficult for Howard to get reps as the organization is trying to develop Drew Allar for the future as well. With four quarterbacks deserving of a spot on the roster, it's created a lot of controversy about what the team should do. Should they keep all four QBs? Will Howard or Rudolph be traded? 

The answer to that remains to be seen, but depending on how Allar progresses, that may completely change the outlook of the scenario. Mike McCarthy has had his hands full trying to reteach the quarterback position to Allar and he has showed some promise early in training camp. It's still a little premature to get excited about Allar according to Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, however. He pumped the brakes on the hype on 93.7 The Fan, saying he needs a little more time to prove that he has what it takes. Three days isn't enough to judge where he is at just yet.

"Drew Allar is what he is right now," Kaboly stated. "He’s got an absolute cannon of an arm, and you can see [the ball] just explode out of his hands. He was been somewhat accurate in some of those 7-on-7, non-contested drills, but I’m not gonna sit here and say that he’s turning heads. It’s the first three days, so settle down. Let’s chill out a little bit."

Allar obviously has all the tools that excite the organization, but the Steelers still aren't into full team reps just yet. Once they get the full pads on and more than just some seven-on-seven drills, then it would be better to judge where he is at. This is still a very impressive first showing from him, but it may be time to relax from this small sample. 

"Nobody’s really made a first impression," Kaboly added. "You have to understand what this is. This is a glorified 7-on-7, throwing to air. Come talk to me in a week and we can potentially change our mind."

Allar could very well be the future of this team, especially with quarterback guru McCarthy developing him. These early reps are extremely important for his adjustment to professional football, compared to what he saw in college, which McCarthy wanted him to forget. That's why these reps are so important and the decision regarding the backup job. 

Not that Allar will win that second spot on the depth chart, but the point is that with four quarterbacks, Allar's reps are extremely limited. He's likely more of a scout team quarterback right now in his first season, but if Rudolph is the backup, then Howard will split scout team reps with Allar limiting what they can get to develop. That decision is extremely important at this point. Rudolph gives the team more experience if Rodgers gets hurt, while Howard gives the team younger options down the road. The results from this choice may not directly impact the 2026 season, but it may come back up in the future.

Steelers’ Backup Quarterback Choice Is Extremely Important

It's very encouraging to see Allar showing positive signs this early in camp. While it may be too soon to really label him the quarterback of the future, seeing him excel in these limited reps at this stage indicates that Pittsburgh needs to decide on their quarterback room sooner rather than later. These reps are extremely important and rostering four quarterbacks may stunt his development and much needed reps.

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