Will Howard was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but in the sixth round. Sixth-round quarterbacks can succeed (hello, Tom Brady), but getting an opportunity is not easy. This is especially the case for those who have to sit out of their first preseason with injury, much like Howard is right now. Despite the fact that he has not appeared in a game yet, Howard was listed as the team's QB3 in its depth chart ahead of Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Steelers second depth chart of the preseason ahead of Saturday game versus Buccaneers #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/xZOfG64d0J
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 14, 2025
Odds are, Howard would not slot ahead of Rodgers or Mason Rudolph even if he was healthy and active all preseason, but seeing him slotted ahead of Skylar Thompson is notable. No, Thompson is not a star by any means, and he hasn't done much at the NFL level when given a chance, but he went 20-for-28 passing for 233 yards and three touchdowns in Pittsburgh's first preseason game. He certainly opened some eyes, but evidently not enough to rank ahead of the injured sixth-round rookie.
It's hard to see this and not think this is great news for Howard.
Steelers are going to give Will Howard every possible chance to make the team
Making the team will be easier said than done for Howard given the situation that the win-now Steelers are in. Aaron Rodgers might be in his last NFL season, but he's the starter. Mason Rudolph might not be a starting-caliber quarterback, but he's a proven backup who is familiar with Pittsburgh's system and he also signed a two-year deal to join the team.
Teams can and do carry three quarterbacks, but every one of the 53 roster spots are valuable. Do the Steelers really want to waste a valuable spot on a quarterback who, in all likelihood, won't appear in a single game all year? They might be willing to, but that's far from a guarantee. A practice squad spot is also on the table, but that comes with its own risks.
What's clear, though, is that the Steelers are going to give him every possible chance to make the team. The QB4 has just about no shot of making the team. Having Howard listed at QB3 keeps the door open for him, which is just about all he can ask for.
Steelers aren't in a position to let Will Howard get away
The Steelers are in a rough spot when it comes to the quarterback position, which is what makes Howard's injury that much more frustrating. 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers is on a one-year deal and they don't have anyone in the pipeline to replace him, and probably won't be bad enough to select a quarterback worthy of being Rodgers' successor. Mason Rudolph is on a two-year deal, but again, he's not a true starter. With that in mind, are they really in a position to let one good preseason game from 28-year-old Skylar Thompson who is on a one-year deal really be enough to give him an active roster spot over Howard?
Clearly, the Steelers think the answer to that question is no. Howard might not be thought of so highly given his draft position, but the Steelers can ill-afford to let a young quarterback of any kind get away, let alone a National Championship winner. Who knows, he might factor in sometime in the future, even as a backup.
If the Steelers were prepared to let Howard walk, they would've ranked the experienced quarterback who looked great in preseason action ahead of him, especially with Howard's injury in mind. This only goes to show that even with the injury, it'd be pretty surprising to see Howard get left off Pittsburgh's Week 1 roster at this point, which, again, is the best possible news Howard could've asked for.