Noah Strackbein· Aug 17, 2026
Strackbein predicts the Steelers will keep all four quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar — on the 2026 roster, with Allar the leading candidate to start and Rudolph as the QB2 ahead of Howard.
“It's time to start believing the Steelers are keeping all four QBs in 2026.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
6 checkable claims — 4 roster spot calls and 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Drew Allar · 2026 season8 calls from 7 pundits between 1 and 4. Noah Strackbein said 1. the room's median is 2. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
6 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Depth Chart CallsDrew AllarPittsburgh SteelersAug 17, 2026
Drew Allar to be 1st on the depth chart
“it's hard to imagine Allar not being the lead candidate to start for the Steelers next season”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsWill HowardPittsburgh SteelersAug 17, 2026
Will Howard to make the roster
“It's time to start believing the Steelers are keeping all four QBs in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsDrew AllarPittsburgh SteelersAug 17, 2026
Drew Allar to make the roster
“It's time to start believing the Steelers are keeping all four QBs in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Mason Rudolph to be 2nd on the depth chart
“It's hard to convince yourself at this point that the Steelers don't have the nine-year veteran as their QB2 with a notable gap between he and Howard.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Mason Rudolph to make the roster
“It's time to start believing the Steelers are keeping all four QBs in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Aaron Rodgers to make the roster
“there's a real feel - a strong one - that four quarterbacks is inevitable for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Jason McIntyreTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldMiss · 0Filling in for Colin Cowherd, McIntyre argued the 49ers' window is closed amid a brutal injury list and record travel, floated a Bijan Robinson trade to the Bears, predicted the Lions can win the NFC North, doubted Atlanta is even a playoff team, said Baker Mayfield's Tampa run ends after this season, and delivered a top-10 quarterback ranking.
- Evan SilvaFantasy Defense Calls · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts.
- Jordan DajaniGame Outcome Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Dajani expects the Steelers to comfortably beat the Falcons in Week 1, arguing Atlanta's quarterback situation under Tua Tagovailoa is a mess; he also picks the Vikings to beat the Packers in a low-scoring game.
- Chad MillmanGame Outcome Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Millman backed several week one sides outright: Miami to beat the Raiders straight up, the Jets over the Titans, an underdog money line parlay of Houston and the Giants, and a favorites money line parlay of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit. He also stands by his preseason take that Drake Maye is a top-five NFL quarterback.
- Simon HunterGame Outcome Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Hunter picked Houston and the Giants as underdog money line plays, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit as favorites, and used Pittsburgh plus the Chargers as his survivor picks for week one.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Parkins picked the Giants to upset Dallas, the Steelers to beat Atlanta by two scores, the Bears to beat Carolina, the Bills to beat Houston and Denver to beat Kansas City outright; he also said Justin Herbert will win an MVP and had the Bengals as AFC North champs.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jack KiserMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Cody RourkeRoster Spot Calls · Mitchell FraboniMiss · 0Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.
- Sayre BedingerRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeMiss · 0Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up.
- Bob MorrisRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut.
- Erick TrickelRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader).
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.