Steelers' Last Will Howard Question Before NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers love Will Howard. All offseason, they've raved about his potential and their excitement to sculpt him into a starting quarterback.

Can they do that with their current NFL Draft plans, though? If they want to focus on Howard this season, while Aaron Rodgers runs the show as their starter (hopefully), can they afford to add another name to the mix, and does that name to have a certain floor to match Howard's?

"Definitely," head coach Mike McCarthy answered when asked if developing Howard and a rookie is possible. "That speaks to the staff. There's a number of coaches that have been with me in the past. We pulled up some old Tom Arth quarterback film from 2006 today. So, yeah, we're fine as far as the training environment that we're trying to establish. But, yeah, I think it's a position. We speak on it as being the most important position in football. I think it's important to always try to add to it if you can, but that's the fit."

It might be more complicated than they think. Howard essentially redshirted as a rookie, missing most of the season on Injured Reserve after suffering a broken bone in his hand during training camp. He did not get any preseason games and has yet to throw an in-game NFL pass.

Howard's floor in the NFL is pretty good. Even without playing in a game, it's easy to see him as a long-term backup if he never becomes a starter. He's mobile, has decent pocket presence and holds the "QB swagger" you look for in a leader.

Howard does need work, though. Even McCarthy acknowledges that.

"I think the biggest thing with Will, and it's probably consistent with young quarterbacks, they got to win from the pocket at the end of the day," McCarthy said at the NFL League Meetings. "Nine or 10games a year are going to come down to the two-minute drill. That's what the stats tell you. That's the way we train. So, his ability to win from the pocket, because I think he has everything else."