Steelers Definitely Did Not Expect Drew Allar To Perform This Well: "He's Way Ahead"

The Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping that Mike McCarthy would help them get out of quarterback purgatory when they hired him to be the head coach. It's going to take time for him to drag this team out of there, but early returns show that there is hope for the future. The big project that everyone is watching closely is third-round pick Drew Allar. He has the size and the strength to perform at the NFL level, but the mechanics and big-game performance were just not there, making everyone think he doesn't have a shot. 

McCarthy has been personally working with Allar to try and fix his many flaws. The focus all throughout his rookie year has been the footwork, as that has been talked about nonstop ever since he was first drafted. In the limited playing time he's had, he has looked good. He had a great preseason game against the Green Bay Packers where he was almost perfect through the air and had three total touchdowns. 

There is definitely a lot to be excited about with Allar, even for this coaching staff. While hosting the latest episode of The Breer Report, NFL insider Albert Breer detailed the mindset that the Steelers have about this talented rookie.

"Allar had a great debut on [Thursday] night, of course, against the Packers in the team's preseason opener," Breer said. "He's way ahead of where they thought he would be from a footwork standpoint, from a technique standpoint. He's getting better day over day, and he's got great tools. They believe he could develop into a starter someday."

That technique seemed borderline unfixable after all the issues Allar had in college. It seemed like it would take 3-4 years before he showed any signs of being a starting-caliber passer. However, he seems to be getting an A+ at McCarthy's QB School already, and he may be ready to move on to the next semester before the current one is finished. This is the best news the Steelers have had on this front in years.

McCarthy has drawn some very valid criticism lately, and his title of quarterback whisperer has been challenged for the most part. If he can turn Allar into a quality quarterback -- especially sooner than he was supposed to -- then no one will challenge his ability to train quarterbacks ever again. If it works out, this could be the big boom that the Steelers have desperately needed for years. 

Allar will still be a scout team quarterback throughout the 2026 regular season, of course. Just because he is ahead of where he was expected to be doesn't mean he's already ready to be the starter. There is still a lot for him to learn, but he seems to be ready for whatever that next phase of development is. He won't see the field in his rookie year barring catastrophe, but 2027 is a different story.

Steelers May Have Their Starting Quarterback In 2027 Already

As long as he keeps progressing well and doesn't let this slight bit of success get to his head, Allar could end up winning the starting job in 2027. Even if he does not play particularly well that year, failure can sometimes be the best coach. That could set him up to truly light the world on fire in 2028 or 2029. Even with all the progress he's made, he is still a long-term project.

On top of that, the Steelers most likely won't be in a position to grab one of the great or elite prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft. On top of that, they currently don't have a lot of additional cap space for that year, so signing a top option would be very hard to do -- and they still have another extension to sign. Pittsburgh's best shot at having a quality passer after 2026 is to roll with the young guys currently on the team.

What do you think about Allar being ahead of schedule mechanically? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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