Charlie Batch Reveals Why Steelers May Not Be Able to Sneak Will Howard Onto Practice Squad — Yahoo Sports

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

Will Howard’s preseason has created a problem the Pittsburgh Steelers may not have expected: he may have played well enough to make himself impossible to hide.

The rookie’s uneven outing against the New York Jets did little to strengthen his case for the No. 2 job behind Aaron Rodgers , however, according to the former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, that does not mean they can simply stash Howard on the practice squad but if the Steelers try, another team could make the decision for them.

Charlie Batch Warns Pittsburgh Steelers About Will Howard’s Practice Squad Risk

Oct 26, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard warms up for a game against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Howard entered the preseason with plenty to prove after the Steelers drafted him in the sixth round. Drew Allar’s impressive preseason debut has complicated that picture, while Mason Rudolph remains the experienced option behind Rodgers. That leaves Mike McCarthy with a roster decision that could get uncomfortable quickly.

“I just don’t, because of the play that he put out there. And maybe another team that had him evaluated higher a season ago. If you have a needy team, then I just don’t see how Will Howard is able to sneak to the practice squad.”

Charlie Batch thinks an NFL team would claim Will Howard if he’s put on the practice squad: “I just don’t, because of the play that he put out there. And maybe another team that had him evaluated higher a season ago. If you have a needy team, then I just don’t see how Will Howard…

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Howard threw two interceptions against the Jets, failing to capitalize on his opportunity to create separation in the QB competition. Still, Batch believes the Steelers have to look beyond one rough performance when deciding Howard’s roster status. The bigger issue is what happens if the Steelers expose him to waivers. Batch does not believe Howard would make it through.

That is the catch for the Steelers. Howard may not be ready to take over as Rodgers’ backup, except that his youth, physical tools, and upside could make him attractive to a quarterback-needy team. The Steelers would then have to choose between carrying four QBs or gambling that Howard clears waivers.

Neither option is particularly clean. Keeping Howard, Allar, Rudolph, and Rodgers on the 53-man roster would cost Pittsburgh a spot elsewhere. Cutting Howard could mean watching another team develop a young quarterback that the Steelers just drafted.

And Allar’s emergence makes the situation even more fascinating. The former Penn State star has shown enough to make the Steelers believe they have another developmental quarterback worth protecting. That could leave Rudolph as the obvious short-term No. 2 while the organization develops both rookies behind him.

Batch believes that is exactly why the Steelers may ultimately have no choice but to keep all four. The preseason finale will provide one final evaluation; however, Pittsburgh’s signal-caller decision is no longer simply about who deserves the backup job.