The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a similar situation to the Cleveland Browns. The team currently has four quarterbacks on the roster, and they must make a tough decision when the time comes.
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With Aaron Rodgers leading the team, Mason Rudolph is the presumed backup, leaving Will Howard and Skylar Thompson battling it out for the presumed third and final spot. Howard is currently dealing with an injury, but it could be Thompson on his way out.
“You know I thought Mason [Rudolph] played really well,” Roethlisberger said of Rudolph in preseason. “I thought he did exactly what you would hope to see from your backup quarterback. He went out there, I think, he solidified himself… as the two.”
Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger believes that the team will eventually cut Thompson, but that he has played well enough to land a backup job elsewhere.
“I think Skylar did a great job of protecting the ball, and I think it’s going to earn him a spot on somebody else’s roster,” Roethlisberger stated.
The Steelers legend did have a ton of praise for Thompson, and fans have been in awe of Thompson’s play thus far. He did throw 233 yards and three touchdowns in his preseason debut, but that appears not to be enough for him to remain on the roster.
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Howard is the Steelers’ developmental quarterback, so it would also not make sense for him to be cut when the 53-man roster selections come about. Thompson, on the other hand, could fetch some draft capital if he pulls off another impressive preseason game.
Plenty of teams will need more options at quarterback when roster decisions are being made. Should Thompson play well enough to impress other teams in the league, he might easily find a new home by Week 1.
Then again, the Steelers could shock everyone by cutting Howard, who was a sixth-round pick. It is not often that rookies drafted are not given time to develop, but tough decisions always need to be made.
Rodgers is also 41 years old and suffered a torn Achilles tendon in 2023. He is still a durable quarterback, but any issues with him would lead the Steelers to have to put a veteran in, like Rudolph.
If Rudolph steps in, would it be better to have Thompson there or Howard?
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