Will Howard

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Will Howard's four-year, $4.4M deal with Pittsburgh earns a C+ CVI — a fair market contract for a developmental quarterback with limited NFL experience. At $1.1M annually with minimal guaranteed money ($0.2M), the Steelers secured a low-risk flyer on a player who showed flashes of potential during his college career but remains an unknown commodity at the professional level. The contract structure heavily favors Pittsburgh, offering them an extended evaluation period without significant financial commitment while giving Howard time to develop behind established quarterbacks. This type of deal represents standard practice for late-round or undrafted signal-callers, where teams prioritize upside over proven production. The Steelers essentially bought themselves a lottery ticket — if Howard develops into a viable backup or surprise starter, this becomes tremendous value, but if he flames out, they can move on with negligible financial impact.

Performance Analysis

Will Howard is a replacement-level quarterback at this stage of his NFL career, a sixth-round pick out of the 2025 draft who is still very much in the process of earning a roster spot rather than commanding one. His rookie scale contract at $1.1M AAV reflects exactly how the organization values him right now — as a developmental arm being given a chance to prove himself, not a franchise cornerstone being handed the keys. With no established statistical record to evaluate at the professional level, there is no compelling evidence yet to push his grade above where it sits, and the quarterback competition reportedly involving multiple signal-callers ahead of the 2026 regular season only reinforces that his standing is genuinely unsettled. The media framing around Howard is appropriately cautious — he occupies the neutral territory that mid-tier developmental prospects tend to inhabit when they have not yet logged meaningful NFL snaps, and the Steelers have not made any financial or public commitment suggesting he is a centerpiece of their plans. At 24 years old and entering what amounts to his first real shot at meaningful professional exposure, the 2026 season is legitimately pivotal for him — either he seizes competitive opportunities and builds a professional reputation, or he risks settling into a long-term backup role. With Pittsburgh currently sitting as a playoff seed 135 days out from the regular season opener, the organization has real incentives to settle the quarterback question quickly, which cuts both ways for a player still fighting for credibility.