Aaron Rodgers' bonding week with his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates has gone viral over the past several days. And one particularly interesting storyline was the absence of two key Steelers players.
While Rodgers brought along six teammates, Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, Pat Freiermuth, Ben Skowronek, and Mason Rudolph, Steelers quarterback Will Howard and tight end Darnell Washington were nowhere to be seen. And considering how hard it is to miss the 6-foot-7 Washington, there's been a real debate about what these absences could mean.
For Howard, this could mean that the backup quarterback job isn't as one-sided as previously believed. Rudolph appeared to throw his name back into the hat with his inclusion at Rodgers' bonding week.
Washington's absence was less concerning, as the giant, 300-plus-pound playmaker has carved out a role for himself as one of the NFL's best blocking tight ends that's dangerous after the catch.
These two Steelers will definitely be players to keep a close eye on as training camp arrives in a few weeks, as Howard and Washington look to battle with Rudolph and Freiermuth, respectively, for a bigger role on the team.