Commanders News: Eric Bieniemy, Terry McLaurin, Sam Howell and power rankings
By Dean Jones
Commanders QB Sam Howell's bright future
With coaching changes and alterations to the front office almost assured, the future of everyone seems a little murky. A few core pieces should remain to void a larger-scale rebuild, but the Washington Commanders roster is going to look unrecognizable by the time 2024 OTAs arrive.
Although Sam Howell's done well overall, the quarterback's status beyond the current campaign is also in question. Many fans believe he's earned the right to another season with a better offensive line, while others are looking at the team's current 2024 NFL Draft standing - examining the likes of Caleb Williams and Drake Maye in greater detail.
Zach Selby from Washington's website didn't give any clues as to whether Howell will be under center in 2024. However, the senior writer predicted a bright future for the North Carolina product based on his overall output in difficult circumstances this season.
"Sam Howell’s future is unknown at this point, and with just 14 starts in two seasons, the former fifth-round pick is far from a finished product. There's been more good than bad from him in his first season as a starter, though, and he's making a solid case that he deserves to stay under center for years to come in Washington. Howell does have some rough patches to his skill set. He takes too many sacks, and his anticipation on throws needs to improve. However, he also has impressive arm strength and pairs it with a knack for placing passes in areas where only his receiver can make a play. Howell will need to prove himself against defenses like the San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys to end the season on a good note, but he's already shown enough to indicate that he could have a long career."
- Zach Selby, Commanders.com
All Howell can do is focus on improving over the final games, continue to emerge as a leader and display the traits normally associated with long-term quarterbacks around the league. Everything after that is out of his hands.