Panthers' QB room ranked among NFL's worst
Carolina Panthers' quarterback situation remains dire, ranked ninth-worst in the NFL.
Drew Allar is favored over Will Howard in the Steelers' quarterback competition, according to CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner. Allar, a third-round pick, is seen as more athletic and capable than Howard, a sixth-round pick.
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With a lot of uncertainty in the air regarding whether or not Aaron Rodgers will return to Pittsburgh next year, and the Steelers reportedly frustrated over the delay, what comes next for the Steelers at quarterback is a loaded question. But among the players we know for certain will be entering the competition this offseason, one national analyst favors rookie Drew Allar.
The Steelers drafted Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Veteran Mason Rudolph is on the roster as well, but the main competition in the battle for Allar is Will Howard, who was a sixth-round draft pick in 2025. And CBS Sports' analyst Mike Renner is much higher on Allar than he is on Howard.
“I was incredibly low on Howard,” Renner said Tuesday on 93.7 The Fan. “I don’t even think it’s close (as compared to Allar). I thought Howard was a backup at best. He was just very robotic. He did not have the fluid athleticism of a Drew Allar. I saw a guy who was, I thought, was gonna struggle with out-of-structure stuff at the NFL level, and just creating anything out of tight pockets, either. So I was not a Will Howard guy. I was truthfully surprised with where the Steelers even picked him last year.”
“I thought the Allar pick was a worthwhile swing,” Renner said. “Allar, I think, if you would’ve said that this guy was a third-round pick as a sophomore after what he did that year, you just would’ve been surprised. If (you said) that’s how he would’ve ended his career, I think a lot of people would’ve been surprised by that, because he was on a much higher trajectory.”
Mike Renner believes Drew Allar has a high potential and was a worthwhile pick for the Steelers, especially considering his trajectory as a sophomore.
Will Howard is viewed as robotic and lacking the fluid athleticism necessary for success at the NFL level, leading analysts to see him as a backup at best.
Drew Allar was drafted in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, while Will Howard was a sixth-round pick in 2025.
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With the Steelers set to need a quarterback quickly if Rodgers doesn't return to the Steel City, all eyes inside the franchise will likely be on Allar and Howard over the coming months. And if Renner is correct, you might want to place your bets on Allar pulling ahead in the competition.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Does Drew Allar hold advantage over Will Howard entering QB battle?