Sam Howell reveals primary catalysts behind Commanders' demise

The Washington Commanders came into the 2023 season with Sam Howell as their starting quarterback. Ron Rivera made him earn it by beating out veteran Jacoby Brissett in a training camp battle, something he managed to accomplish with minimal fuss to get a big-time opportunity under center.

Howell wasn't in the easiest situation. There were some tremendous moments - most notably during Washington's two losses against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, some critical flaws emerged as the campaign wore on.

This left Howell's future hanging in the balance heading into the offseason. Rivera was removed from the equation as anticipated. Adam Peters came into the organization and instantly began shaking up the Commanders' underachieving roster. When the new general manager was convinced going with a quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft was the best route forward, the former North Carolina star became surplus to requirements.

Interest was reportedly high in Howell. This allowed Peters to extract maximum value for the signal-caller, shipping him to the Seattle Seahawks to end a brief yet eventful spell with the organization.

Sam Howell took the high road after Commanders exit

Howell's going to back up Geno Smith in 2024. The Seahawks will develop him over the next couple of years in the hope he can step into the starting role when the time is right. As for the Commanders? They genuinely believe Jayden Daniels is the superstar quarterback this storied franchise has craved for decades.

When discussing what went wrong with the Commanders recently, Howell took the accountable route based on comments via Pro Football Talk. He acknowledged forcing the issue when chasing games proved to be his undoing. The player is also looking to limit turnovers moving forward in pursuit of progression.

"I think I could play some smarter ball. I think there were times where we were down big in some games, I was a little too aggressive just trying to make something happen trying to get us back in the game. The turnovers are just way too high for what I wanted and what the team needed. I think that’s definitely something I can take from last year."

- Sam Howell via Pro Football Talk

This is admirable from Howell and in keeping with his high character. That said, he's not the only one who needs to shoulder a sense of blame for his failure in the nation's capital.

Rivera did a horrible job of recruiting along the offensive line. Howell spent the campaign running for his life and was the league's most-sacked quarterback. While he brought some of those on himself, the options available weren't up to the required standard aside from Sam Cosmi and arguably Charles Leno Jr.

Eric Bieniemy put too much on Howell. That cannot be disputed. Adopting a pass-heavy offense ignored the obvious talent of running back Brian Robinson Jr. to shoulder the load. It placed a significant amount of pressure on the second-year pro, especially considering his protection wasn't capable of coping with these increased pass-blocking demands.

Howell was thrown to the wolves. One could forgive the player for feeling a little let down by those who were entrusted with his development. Instead of casting blame, he took the high road and focused on the positives en route to a career renaissance in a different environment.

He deserved better. Unfortunately for Howell, the combination of Rivera and Bieniemy wasn't up to the task.