Report: Steelers plan to keep both Will Howard and Drew Allar on the 53-man roster

The Pittsburgh Steelers appear ready to keep an unusually detailed quarterback group on their active roster. According to a report from Yahoo Sports published Saturday, the Steelers will maintain both Will Howard and Drew Allar on the 53-player roster, rather than using the final cuts to thin their options at the position.

The broader quarterback picture, as described in the same report, places Mason Rudolph as the second-best quarterback on the roster and the backup quarterback to Aaron Rodgers. In that setup, keeping Howard and Allar together indicates that Pittsburgh values multiple developmental and emergency-ready skill sets beyond its two most prominent names.

A 53-man roster in the NFL is where teams balance immediate game-day readiness with practice-week planning. Carrying four quarterbacks often reflects a practical approach: the starter and primary backup cover the baseline, while the remaining pair gives the coaching staff more variety in preparations, including different throwing styles, footwork patterns, and how each quarterback executes the offense during live repetitions.

For Howard and Allar, the reported roster decision also has implications for how they are likely to be used during the season. Even when a team’s depth chart is settled on paper, the third and fourth quarterbacks can influence preparation for weeks ahead, especially on third-down looks, two-minute offense simulations, red-zone tempo work, and scout-team situations that require pass protection and route tempo consistency. The Steelers keeping both players suggests they anticipate meaningful roles in that weekly rhythm.

From a team-building standpoint, the decision matters because it reduces the risk of being caught short at quarterback if a starter or backup misses time. The Steelers can keep the offense installing and rehearsing without a major reset, particularly if a quarterback has to miss practice for any reason. Carrying multiple quarterbacks can also help a franchise maintain continuity in communication and cadence, since quarterback-to-quarterback learning is cumulative during offseason and preseason reps.

There is also a developmental layer. Howard and Allar being on the active roster gives them more proximity to the full game-week process, including meetings, walk-through emphasis, and how the starters handle protections and progressions. Even without changing the top of the depth chart, being present on Sunday roster days can accelerate learning, because it tightens the gap between practice execution and the mental routines required on game day.

The report does not eliminate questions that fans will naturally have as the season approaches. The Steelers still need to make sure the roster spots correspond to what the coaching staff wants to see under live constraints, not just during preparation. It is also possible for teams to adjust quickly after the opener, because rosters can change through releases, re-signings, and other personnel moves as performance and needs become clearer.

What to watch next is how Pittsburgh uses this group once the regular season begins. If the Steelers continue to carry all four quarterbacks listed above, fans can look for patterns in who receives the most second-unit work, how the offense is managed in short windows, and which quarterback the staff trusts most during high-leverage practice sessions that mirror in-game situations.