2 parts of Steelers' Aaron Rodgers plan could be major mistakes
· Yahoo Sports
2 parts of Steelers' Aaron Rodgers plan could be major mistakes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
All along, the Pittsburgh Steelers have planned for Aaron Rodgers to be their starting QB in the 2026 NFL season.
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The football world has simply accepted it as fact. The Steelers have, too, or they wouldn't have hired a veteran coach like Mike McCarthy, who also has plenty of past links to Rodgers.
The reality, though, is that Rodgers starting in 2026 might not be the best choice for the Steelers franchise.
This comes down to the two young QBs the Steelers already have, as well as any new quarterback Pittsburgh may seek out in the 2027 draft.
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What about Will Howard and Drew Allar?
If the Steelers start Rodgers in 2026, and he stays healthy, the QBs they drafted each of the past two years will be left on the sideline.
Will Howard was a sixth-round pick in 2024 after winning a national title at Ohio State.
Drew Allar was a third-round pick in 2025 from Penn State.
Both have at least some NFL potential, but the Steelers will start running out of chances to diagnose that if they stay locked into Rodgers for another year.
Given the level of QBs in the 2027 draft class, it'd be ideal for Pittsburgh to know whether Howard or Allar are any good before making picks, but they might not get that chance.
"Allar will join 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard as developmental players vying to be Rodgers' backup -- if the 42-year-old quarterback returns," ESPN's Brooke Pryor wrote as part of a new article on Thursday. "If he doesn't? Then all bets are off."
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The price of being painfully average
If Rodgers returns, the Steelers run another risk: They might be painfully average.
As far as landing a QB in next year's draft, it'd help to be picking in the top-10, and maybe even the top-five.
A team with Rodgers at quarterback, even in 2026, likely will be too close to a .500 record to pick that high on the board.
So is bringing Rodgers back also preventing the Steelers from getting a top-notch QB draft prospect? You could make that case.
All told, another year of Rodgers isn't necessarily the best thing for the future years of the Steelers.
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