As part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback overhaul, the team brought in veteran Kyle Allen to serve as their third quarterback behind Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. With Wilson missing the first two days of training camp with a calf injury, Allen has taken second-team reps, and so far, Mike Tomlin has been happy with what Allen’s brought to the table. He told reporters after practice today that Allen has done some nice things in his opportunity so far.
“I was really excited about Kyle Allen today. Getting elevated work as a consequence of Russ’ [Wilson] injury, and so really nice opportunity for him today. I thought he did some nice things,” Tomlin said via Steelers Live on Twitter.
Coach Tomlin spoke to the media following Friday’s #SteelersCamp practice: pic.twitter.com/pGUWH6BOC2
— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) July 26, 2024
Allen has a decent amount of starting experience, as he has 19 starts under his belt, including 12 with the Carolina Panthers in 2019. That’s a pretty impressive total for a guy who will end up being Pittsburgh’s third-string quarterback. If a situation ever arises where he would have to play, he’s not the worst option.
Just last season, we saw the Steelers go through three quarterbacks, and it was Mason Rudolph, who began the season as the third-stringer, who was the most impressive of all three. Ideally, that won’t be the case this season, but it’s a nice early development that Allen has impressed with his increased opportunity.
Wilson should return to practice in the coming days, as Tomlin reiterated that his injury is day-to-day and the team is just being cautious, which would reduce Kyle Allen’s role back to getting third-team snaps. It will be something to watch if he can keep his momentum up with the third team. It’ll also be interesting to see how Justin Fields looks playing with the second team and not primarily with starters.
Tomlin said it’s “too early” to talk about progress, given that the Steelers have been practicing in Latrobe for just two days. If Allen continues on this trajectory, I’m sure progress will be made. It’s going to be tough to jump Fields as Pittsburgh’s QB2, but Allen could put himself in a position where the Steelers at least feel comfortable with him. If he plays well in the preseason, he could be a potential trade chip for QB-needy teams as well.
However, the Steelers might value having the quarterback depth, as they saw what happened last year, and with Wilson already dealing with an injury, the added depth could be important. Regardless, it’s good that Kyle Allen’s played well so far, and hopefully, it’s a sign of things to come.
