Commanders News: Quinn Ewers, Emmanuel Forbes, Sam Howell and Trent Williams
By Dean Jones
Is Sam Howell the Commanders' weak link?
There is a sense of cautious optimism surrounding Sam Howell as the Washington Commanders' starting quarterback in 2023. Ron Rivera was true to his word, so the onus is now on the signal-caller to repay this supreme vote of confidence.
It's a strange decision to many and if it goes wrong, Rivera will pay with his job. But the experienced coach has yet to deviate from his long-term plan despite increasing pressure, but whether this gamble pays off is another matter.
Moving forward with Howell was the primary topic of discussion from Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders via ESPN, who named quarterback as the one remaining hole Washington needs to stabilize before confidence in their chances next season increases.
"So Washington is really going into the season with Sam Howell as the starter, huh? The track record of fifth-round quarterbacks is not a strong one, and Howell had a minus-18.5% passing DVOA and 44.5 QBR in limited playing time last year. There are other positions where the Commanders could use depth, such as wide receiver, but quarterback is still the position where the Commanders' current starting plan makes you scratch your head."
- Aaron Schatz, Football Outsiders/ESPN
Howell has no doubt heard all the doubts from the wider media, so there is no need for any additional motivation. The most important thing is getting his teammates' onside, leaning on Eric Bieniemy's exceptional guidance, and not forcing this issue with the spotlight glaring.