The Steelers took a quarterback in the third round of this year’s NFL draft for the simplest of reasons:
They don’t have a quarterback. Not really.
Aaron Rodgers remains uncommitted and, at 42, will soon turn to dust anyway.
It’s too late for Mason Rudolph. He’s a career backup.
Will Howard is a fan-fiction folk hero who is a sixth-round pick but not Tom Brady.
Drew Allar of Penn State, this year’s third-round selection, is far from a sure thing. All the tools, but no toolbox.
But he’s another lottery ticket. One with better odds than Howard.
The Steelers won’t finish low enough this coming season to get a sure-thing pick like Arch Manning in the next draft.
The Steelers might never. They won’t tank. They’re fine with 10-7 and a first-round playoff loss. The mushy middle.
A four-win season is the best bet to solve a quarterback problem.
The other option is to buy lottery tickets.
Throw excrement at the wall at see what sticks.
I thought I heard a “splat” when the Steelers drafted Allar.
Not that Allar is untalented. He’s got measurables. Just bad decision-making. Needs a bit more accuracy.
But if Allar hadn’t broken his ankle this past season, he might have been a first-round pick. He’s a first-round talent. Hey, just like the Steelers said Rudolph was!
If new coach Mike McCarthy is the quarterback guru that he’s cracked up to be, he can teach Allar what he doesn’t know. He can’t give Howard what he doesn’t have. (Drafting Allar doesn’t exactly validate McCarthy’s previously spoken high opinion of Howard.)
Let them compete. See what sticks.
The Pitt guy failed miserably. He was a first-round pick.
The Penn State guy is only a third-round pick. He can’t do worse.
There’s a report that the Steelers might be willing to trade Rudolph.
Yeah, start the season with 42-year-old Grandpa Game Manager at quarterback and two backups who have never taken an NFL snap.
Maybe that four-win season is yet possible.
At least nobody traded in front of the Steelers to steal Allar at the last second.