Commanders News: Ron Rivera’s future, sale snag, QB battle and Devin White

Commanders QB battle

One of the biggest highlights throughout the upcoming offseason will be the expected quarterback battle between Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. Ron Rivera stated at the NFL owners’ meetings that it will be a legitimate competition and the best performer will get the chance to start in Week 1.

Howell might be the favorite, but Brissett’s production with the Cleveland Browns in 2022 under difficult circumstances means he cannot be ruled out by any stretch of the imagination. Something that only adds to the fascination surrounding this particular situation.

Former NFL professional Logan Paulsen – during an appearance on the Kevin Sheehan Show via Yahoo Sports – provided some insight as to how the competition might go. The one-time Washington tight end expects Howell to get the majority of reps, adding that based on last season, Brissett could end up as the team’s starting option in 2023.

"“I would guess Sam is going to get the majority of starter reps, and they are going to expect Jacoby to learn the offense, getting limited starter reps and majority QB2 reps. If for some reason it is not where you want it to be, you got Jacoby Brissett in the wings, who can step in, be the starter for a little bit and then step out, if they feel Sam gets himself ready at some point this year. It’s hard for me now to see Sam giving them a better opportunity than Jacoby, given what I saw from Jacoby last year.”"

Howell represents the best-case scenario given how cheap his rookie deal is over the next few years. However, writing off Brissett entirely would be unwise considering how much is at stake for Rivera during his fourth campaign at the helm.