Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard left Tuesday's practice early after sustaining an injury to his throwing hand, coach Mike Tomlin told reporters. It was later reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Howard fractured a small bone in his hand and will miss at least three weeks.
More information is set to come out regarding Howard's future status. He will not undergo surgery.
Howard is listed as the third-string quarterback on the Steelers' projected depth chart behind starter Aaron Rodgers and veteran backup Mason Rudolph. Skylar Thompson sits in the fourth spot, and he jumped in to take third-team reps on Tuesday when Howard left practice.
This injury forces Howard to miss Saturday's preseason opener vs. the Jaguars. The rookie was expected to play a significant number of snaps in the game to prepare him for his first NFL season, in case the team needs to use him down the line.
Howard was Pittsburgh's sixth-round pick in this year's draft. As a former Ohio State star, Howard's had quite a big following show up for him at training camp the past couple weeks, so his absence will surely be noticeable.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Steelers Rookie Backup QB Will Howard Sustains Throwing Hand Injury at Training Camp.
