After preseason Week 1, the Browns don't seem to be any closer to naming a starting quarterback for the 2026 season. In an ideal world, that would be because both quarterbacks have simply been too sharp to declare either of them the loser of the competition. Alas, nothing is ideal in Cleveland at the moment.
Neither Shedeur Sanders nor Deshaun Watson put their best foot forward in their debuts. Third-stringer and unfortunate afterthought Dillon Gabriel didn't fare any better, and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green didn't even get to sniff the field. Browns fans have every reason to be alarmed.
The question about who deserved to start between Watson, Sanders, Gabriel, or Green could perhaps be answered by the secret fifth option: none of the above. Obviously, Cleveland has to have someone under center in Week 1 — that doesn't necessarily mean they earned it. But what if a backup quarterback competition happening across enemy lines provides the Browns with an option that few previously expected?
The Browns should keep a close eye on the Steelers' backup quarterback battle behind Aaron Rodgers
Out in Pittsburgh, the Steelers fancy themselves a contender. That's their prerogative in the Steel City, but there are some challenging realities that come with it, particularly at quarterback. The Steelers will be led by Aaron Rodgers for his swan song season, and behind him on the depth chart is trusty veteran Mason Rudolph. The conundrum comes with the two youngsters they have in second-year sixth-rounder Will Howard and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar.
It is essentially a foregone conclusion that Allar will make the team, leaving the Steelers with a difficult decision to make regarding keeping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Would they cut the veteran Rudolph and hand the reins to a player with no NFL experience if Rodgers were to miss time with injury? It seems unlikely, but we enlisted Steelers expert Shayne Kubas from FanSided's Still Curtain to chime in on the matter.
"The Steelers' brass have made multiple comments about the idea of keeping four QBs on their 53-man roster this year," Kubas said. "It's hard to imagine that they would actually go forward with that plan. It's more likely that they keep three, with one of Mason Rudolph or Will Howard getting axed.
As it stands, it looks like it would be Howard who would be looking for a new NFL home in that scenario. Rudolph may lack the youth and potential upside of Howard, but he is a veteran that HC Mike McCarthy seems to trust as Aaron Rodgers' backup."
Will Howard needs little introduction to fans of Ohio football. He led the Ohio State Buckeyes to the national championship in his final collegiate season. He suffered a hand injury that knocked him out of the preseason and much of the regular season of his rookie year. He finally made his long-awaited pro debut in the Steelers' preseason tilt against the Green Bay Packers.
He was worth the wait. Howard completed seven of nine passes for 86 yards en route to earning an 86.5 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus. That grade ranked fifth out of the 91 quarterbacks to take a snap last week. Yes, it was just one preseason game, but how did the Browns signal-callers perform under similar circumstances? It may not mean everything, but it means something.
While Taylen Green still has his supporters (of which I am one), reading the tea leaves, he may not be long for the Browns roster. Gabriel might play himself out of a spot too. The Browns shouldn't be too proud to look under every rock for a franchise quarterback — including on waivers from one of their most bitter rivals.
No one is claiming that Will Howard is a star in the making based on one impressive preseason performance. If he continues to excel, though, he may be a hot commodity on waivers when cutdown day arrives on August 30. Absent some major improvements from Cleveland's QBs over the next two weeks, the Browns should be keeping a watchful eye on what's happening in Pittsburgh.
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