Will Howard and Skylar Thompson knew each other before they became teammates on the Pittsburgh Steelers. They played together at Kansas State and now find themselves fighting to make the Steelers’ roster. Howard appeared to be the third quarterback early in training camp, but he’s missed time with injury. In his absence, Thompson has impressed, which Ray Fittipaldo thinks could help him earn that final QB roster spot.
“Yeah, Skylar’s kind of forced their decision here,” Fittipaldo said Monday on the North Shore Drive podcast. “They honestly do have a very tough decision to make here. They can evaluate the practices, but you and I both know Mike Tomlin puts more weight on these preseason games. And when you don’t have anything to go by there [with Howard], that’s advantage Skylar Thompson.”
With Howard a draft pick this year, it felt like he’d have the upper hand in this battle going into camp. However, he broke a finger receiving a snap just days before the Steelers’ preseason opener. It’s brutal timing for him, as he was expected to see plenty of game action after an impressive start to camp.
Thompson has taken full advantage. He excelled in the preseason opener, completing 20-of-28 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns. He completed a variety of difficult throws, including this touchdown to Ke’Shawn Williams while under pressure.
Thompson’s stat line wasn’t as impressive Saturday as he completed 10-of-15 passes for 113 yards with one interception. However, he did produce two nice gains on passes to Roman Wilson and Scotty Miller. And his interception wasn’t really his fault, with the ball bouncing off his receiver’s hands and up into the air.
Howard is extremely likeable and looked good in camp. But if he can’t get back onto the field soon, the Steelers have reasons to choose Thompson. For one, he’s playing well and operating the offense at a high level in game action. He’s also got starting experience, having started a playoff game for the Miami Dolphins a couple of years ago and nearly winning it.
Pittsburgh is still high on Will Howard. It would have helped had he played in the preseason to give a more accurate look at these two. However, Thompson has forced his way into the conversation. Depending on how Thursday’s game against the Carolina Panthers goes, this could become a very tough decision for the Steelers.
