{
  "id": 2150503,
  "title": "Will Howard’s roster push creates a Steelers depth crisis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/will-howards-roster-push-creates-a-steelers-depth-crisis",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-20T14:14:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/howard-roster-push-creates-steelers-141432480.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a quandary when it comes to their 53-man roster, especially as rookie quarterback Will Howard continues to shine in preseason play. With Aaron Rodgers already guaranteed the starting job as QB1, Drew Allar's position is secure thanks to the draft, and veteran Mason Rudolph serving as the reliable QB2, the team is left with the challenge of finding space for Howard. Head coach Mike McCarthy places a high value on quarterback development, which means four quarterbacks on the roster will put a strain on the squad's overall depth, particularly on the defensive line. Assistant general manager Andy Weidl's team-building strategy relies on defensive line rotation to keep their defensive front strong throughout the season. Retaining Howard would necessitate cutting defensive line players like Gabriel Rubio or Sebastian Joseph-Day, which could weaken the team's defensive rotation. Steelers insiders Christopher Carter and Andy Weidl discussed the implications of the team keeping four quarterbacks on their roster. DeFabo expressed skepticism about Howard overtaking Mason Rudolph for the second-string quarterback position, adding that the Steelers seem inclined to develop Howard further and back their coach's belief in quarterback development. However, this decision comes at a cost, as keeping Howard will necessitate difficult cuts elsewhere on the team. As cutdown day approaches, the Steelers must weigh the benefits of safeguarding Howard's development against the need for defensive depth.",
  "summary": "Rookie quarterback Will Howard is pushing for a roster spot, which could force the Pittsburgh Steelers to sacrifice critical depth elsewhere.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}