Alright, the Steelers are staring down final cutdown day, and what looked like a straightforward quarterback situation is now a total mess. Former Steelers signal-caller Charlie Batch just dropped a truth bomb on “The Snap Count” podcast: Mason Rudolph, who didn’t even take a snap in Week 2, emerged as the biggest winner of the night. How wild is that? The dude watched from the sidelines while chaos unfolded, and it cemented his spot.
Rookies Stumble, Veteran Rises From the Couch
The problem is staring head coach Mike McCarthy right in the face: his two rookie quarterbacks, Will Howard and Drew Allar, had an absolutely uneven Week 2 showing against the New York Jets. According to Batch, neither one of them did nearly enough to claim that critical secondary role behind starter Aaron Rodgers. Howard, man, he got smacked with a steep learning curve, tossing two interceptions that showed exactly how tough it is for young QBs against legit NFL defenses. Batch put it plainly: “The only winner in this particular situation is Mason. He didn’t have to play, because the answer did not answer itself coming out of this game as it relates to one of those young quarterbacks able to take that next step and override him for that number two position.” That’s the cold, hard truth of preseason battles, isn’t it?
The Waiver Wire Nightmare and Tough Choices Ahead
Now, here’s where it gets really spicy for the Steelers’ front office. Despite those rookie growing pains, stashing either Howard or Allar on the practice squad is a massive risk. Batch is dead serious when he says, “I just don’t think that these two young quarterbacks will sneak through the waiver wire.” He’s talking about Howard’s raw upside, making him a prime target for any quarterback-needy team out there. Some team would absolutely pluck him off waivers, either for their practice squad or even an active roster spot, because that young talent is just too tempting. This aligns perfectly with what Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Gerry Dulac is reporting: the organization is planning to keep *both* young passers on their 53-man roster. Imagine that! Four quarterbacks on the main squad!
Rudolph’s Indispensable Presence
But keeping four quarterbacks isn’t free. This move is going to force some seriously uncomfortable cuts at other position groups. That’s a huge price to pay, but as Batch highlighted, until Howard or Allar can prove they can actually steady an offense for a multi-week stretch, Rudolph’s veteran presence is absolutely indispensable. He’s that crucial security blanket for Pittsburgh’s regular-season depth. So, as final cutdown day looms, McCarthy and the Steelers have some brutal decisions coming. You just know other teams are watching this QB situation with hungry eyes, ready to pounce.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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