4 major observations from the Commanders schedule release in 2023

Baptism of fire for Commanders QB Sam Howell

If the Washington Commanders are genuinely going to give Sam Howell the nod as their starting quarterback over Jacoby Brissett, it promises to be a baptism of fire for the signal-caller right out of the gate.

The former fifth-round selection is set to come up against some top-level defenses over the first few weeks of the campaign. This will tell us plenty about what we can expect from Howell moving forward.

Howell made a strong enough impression in his only rookie start against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. Ron Rivera has been steadfast in his confidence where the North Carolina product is concerned, avoiding any big splashes and refusing to consider Will Levis or Hendon Hooker when they began sliding during the 2023 NFL Draft.

Here are the defenses Howell will look to gain success over during the opening five weeks of 2023:

• Week 1: vs. Cardinals
• Week 2: at Broncos
• Week 3: vs. Bills
• Week 4: at Eagles
• Week 5: vs. Bears

While the Cardinals and Bears could be winnable, it doesn't bode well for the rest. Howell isn't lacking in confidence, but he's about to get a crash course in what it truly takes to become a productive NFL presence under center.

The Commanders placed a lot of faith in Howell this offseason. So the pressure to repay this cannot be understated with landmark off-field changes in the process of completion.