Will Howard Injury: Sent to IR

The Steelers placed Howard (hand) on injured reserve Thursday, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.

Howard will have to miss at least the first four games of the regular season as he works his way back from a fractured bone in his left hand suffered during practice Aug. 5. That injury caused him to miss the entire preseason. Once healthy, the rookie sixth-round pick figures to operate as Pittsburgh's emergency No. 3 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph.