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Is there a point in keeping Will Howard around? When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Drew Allar 76th overall and called him a first-round talent, they basically told the world, “This is our next quarterback.” It won’t be Aaron Rodgers. He’s retiring. It won’t be Mason Rudolph. He’s a backup for life. It won’t be Howard. You saw why Friday night, but you should have known better before that. There are reasons he was passed over 184 times in the draft. It likely won’t be a free agent or trade acquisition, because the Steelers’ resident quarterback guru, coach Mike McCarthy, is enamored with Allar — why else would they draft him so high? — and will want to get him on the field. It likely won’t be a first-round pick, either, because the Steelers seem destined to finish 10-8 again (four years in a row) after another first-round blowout playoff loss. They won’t be drafting high enough to get an elite talent — and remember what McCarthy told “The Pat McAfee Show” just days ago: “When we drafted Drew Allar, we felt like we were getting a first-round pick. All of that is holding true.” That was before Friday night’s 17-0 loss to the New York Jets, but McCarthy has been around way too long to draw any conclusions from a ridiculous exhibition game. Allar was just 11 of 23 for 110 yards and a 61.3 passer rating, but I actually thought he made more good plays than bad ones, including some down-the-middle darts that were dropped on the final drive. I liked the way he changed arm angles on some throws. I liked his mobility. Also, consider that he was throwing to men named Joaquin Davis, Cornell Powell, Isaiah Winstead and Lake McRee, was constantly behind the sticks and had almost zero pass protection. I counted at least three drops and three other catchable balls. Allar had no chance on his three sacks. On one, Broderick Jones was twisted into a pretzel a millisecond after the snap. Plus, Allar made the play of the night when he escaped a red-hot pocket and just before he was tackled unleashed a 38-yard strike down the left sideline to McRee. Please don’t confuse any of this with me believing Allar is going to be an elite NFL quarterback. I’m not sure he’s going to be much more than Kenny Pickett. But his talent is undeniable. He is a far better prospect than Howard, who should be sent to the practice squad (and if that means another team grabs him, so be it). Though there aren’t a ton of reps for third-team quarterbacks, the Steelers owe it to themselves to get Allar every rep possible. And with a 42-year-old starter, a third-string role could become a backup role in a heartbeat. Allar should start the final preseason game. He should be the No. 3 quarterback when the regular season begins. For better or worse, he’s the betting favorite to become the guy at some point next season. As such, McCarthy should intensify the preparation process as soon as possible. Meaning now.