There's actually no debate that over the past few seasons, the biggest problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been their inability to find a quarterback in the short and long term. We could look at many things for the Steelers and suggest things can change, but much of that will fall on former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.
There's also a sense that if Allar isn't that guy, the Steelers are going to do what's necessary to find a quarterback in next year's draft, but a lot of that is centered around luck. Right now, the Steelers know they have a decent player they need to develop.
The best way for him to be the player that everybody knows that he can be, and that he's shown he can be in the earliest stages of preseason and at times during his career at Penn State, is by getting reps.
The Steelers, who have a guaranteed starter in veteran Aaron Rodgers, have to put Allar in a position to keep improving week in and week out in practice and during games. Recently, looking at what that could mean, one Steelers reporter believes that Allar should be the backup, even if he's not going to be much better than Kenny Pickett, if things go poorly.
“Please don’t confuse any of this with me believing Allar is going to be an elite NFL quarterback. I’m not sure he’s going to be much more than Kenny Pickett. But his talent is undeniable. He is a far better prospect than Howard, who should be sent to the practice squad (and if that means another team grabs him, so be it).
“Though there aren’t a ton of reps for third-team quarterbacks, the Steelers owe it to themselves to get Allar every rep possible. And with a 42-year-old starter, a third-string role could become a backup role in a heartbeat,” Joe Starkey wrote.
The tough reality with Allar is that a wide range of outcomes could play out for the young man. He has a real opportunity to be a star, but can also be a complete bust who doesn't have the full tool set to compete in the NFL at a high level.
He has all the physical traits he needs to succeed, but that doesn't guarantee he'll be a real option in the NFL.