# Bryan DeArdo: A CBS Sports piece lays out Pittsburgh's quarterback pecking order: Aaron Rodgers starts, Mason Rudolph is the No. 2, rookie Drew Allar sits at No. 3 and Will Howard is fourth, with the Steelers expected to keep all four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster rather than trading Howard.

**Claimed:** Aug 28, 2026
**Pundit:** Bryan DeArdo — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/bryan-deardo
**Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-quarterbacks-predictions-bench-trade-keep/

7 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls and 3 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

3 of 7 have settled so far, averaging 66.7 out of 100, against 66.7 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 2.

> As previously established, the Steelers plan on contending this (and every) season, which is why Rudolph will more likely than not be Pittsburgh's No. 2 quarterback.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Drew Allar to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Mason Rudolph to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Will Howard to be cut**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Will Howard, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Drew Allar to be 3rd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Aaron Rodgers to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Will Howard to be 4th on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Will Howard, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Mason Rudolph to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Drew Allar — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/drew-allar
- Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers
- Mason Rudolph — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mason-rudolph
- Will Howard — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/will-howard
- Aaron Rodgers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/aaron-rodgers

## What others said about the same people

- Rich Eisen on Aaron Rodgers: Eisen ranked their top five most impressive Pro Bowl campaigns of the season, topped by Sam Darnold, and predicted that Sunday would be Aaron Rodgers' last game with the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/55a977f9-9670-42fa-ba2f-141be02f583c (scored 0)
- Greg Jennings on Pittsburgh Steelers: Jennings backed the Vikings to upset the Lions in Detroit, put chips on the Steelers over the Browns, and took the Chiefs to win in Denver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f2a33e52-9cab-46bf-a1bf-a5a8e87a5244 (scored 100)
- Chris Simms on Pittsburgh Steelers: Simms gave straight-up winners with predicted final scores for every Week 8 game, including upset calls on the Ravens in Buffalo, the Broncos over the Chiefs, the Jets over the Raiders and the Seahawks over the Bears, and they expected Josh Downs to play for the Colts despite their trade request. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/257149d0-81ab-4feb-a725-ef5bebba04b0 (scored 73.81)
- Connor Rogers on Pittsburgh Steelers: Rogers picked straight-up winners across the Week 8 slate, siding with the Bills over the Ravens, the Lions, Steelers, Jaguars, Bengals, Falcons, Raiders, Broncos, Rams, Patriots, Commanders and the Bears in Seattle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/14b3a81b-ba4d-4270-b122-8cfe7fc959b0 (scored 100)
- James Harrison on Pittsburgh Steelers: Harrison picked the Steelers to beat the Browns in their Sunday meeting, saying Pittsburgh would even the season series at 1-1 after losing the first matchup. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0cd70cea-f5fe-44d1-a99f-bd527f74e175 (scored 100)
- Spencer German on Pittsburgh Steelers: They pick the Steelers to edge the Browns in Pittsburgh in Week 8 by a final score of 24-23, saying Cleveland's 22-year regular-season losing streak there continues and the teams split the season series. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f5b6fe7d-607f-4594-a148-359cdb743a5b (scored 52.38)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Jeremy Brener on Drew Lock: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100)
- Jeremy Brener on Jalen Milroe: Brener suggests Seattle may turn to rookie-contract quarterback Jalen Milroe for their first career start in Week 9 against the Cardinals, with Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock dealing with an elbow injury. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/42d1bd81-5e19-456e-9f68-b3b135170ec0 (scored 0)
- Michael Moore on Shedeur Sanders: In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e26319a3-10aa-49a6-a24d-a257521363f0 (scored 100)
- Zachary Pereles on Shedeur Sanders: Pereles writes that if Deshaun Watson can't clear concussion protocol in time, the Browns would likely turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders to start Week 9 against the Saints. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6dad75dd-1818-4a6a-91ea-832f491c2530 (scored 100)
- Nic Bodiford on Joe Fagnano: Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a13b9f29-bb76-4c56-b226-aca74b21f5b7 (scored 100)
- Garrett Podell on Carson Beck: Podell argues the Cardinals have maxed out with Jacoby Brissett and that rookie Carson Beck should be ramped up to replace them as starter, targeting Week 8 at Dallas for Beck's regular-season debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2f499498-ebbe-41f8-8ea3-41fe96f79432 (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

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