Commanders News: Sam Howell, Eric Bieniemy, Chris Rodriguez and QB trade
By Dean Jones
Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as preparations continue for their Week 17 game against the San Francisco 49ers?
The shockwaves are still reverberating after the Washington Commanders made another quarterback change. This has been the calling card of Ron Rivera's head coaching tenure. Something that will inevitably come to an end once the next two games are navigated to conclude the 2023 campaign.
It'll be interesting to see how things unfold over the next fortnight and how much fight remains within the Commanders. While we wait for further developments, the stories causing debate include Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s blow, Eric Bieniemy on the need to improve, a harsh assessment of quarterback Sam Howell, and an absurd trade touted.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s blow
Just when it looked like Chris Rodriguez Jr. might be able to finish the season positively, the rookie running back's first year with the Washington Commanders came to an abrupt end. The team confirmed their sixth-round selection is going to season-ending injured reserve, which is another blow to a room already without starting option Brian Robinson Jr.
Despite this disappointment, Rodriguez has shown enough to suggest he could become a productive long-term player for the Commanders. He's come on leaps and bounds in recent weeks, with his two-touchdown outing at the New York Jets in Week 16 another impressive step in the right direction.
The former Kentucky standout secured a 4.8 yards per carry average from 51 touches this season. Rodriguez demonstrated impressive flashes. Hopefully, this is just the start of great things to come.