Washington Commanders Show Firm Vote of Confidence in Second-Year Quarterback Sam Howell for 2023 Season

The Washington franchise offered a firm vote of confidence to the second-year quarterback, ignoring quarterbacks in the draft.

ASHBURN — Los Washington Commanders they said it throughout the entire offseason: the quarterback Sam Howell it was his chosen one. Then, during the draft the week before, his actions spoke even louder. The Commanders they didn’t draft a quarterback, as some analysts projected they would. That means that Howell it’s really his chosen one, just like they had been saying from the beginning.

That might have surprised some outsiders. Washingtonbut at Commanders they really like Howellheading into his second season, and sources within the team say they plan to give him his first shot at the starting job in 2023. They like how 2022 played out, culminating in a 26-6 win in the regular season finale. Over the Dallas Cowboys. In its only start –and game action, in general– Howell he completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards, a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown, and an interception.

But the team’s confidence in him goes beyond just what he showed in that match.

“I’m happy with exactly where he is,” admitted the general manager of Washington, Martin Mayhew.

Therefore, the Commanders They were not tempted to choose Will Levis of Kentucky when he became available with the No. 16 shift, opting instead for cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. A team source said the only quarterback who would have tempted them was Hendon Hooker of Tennesseebut only if it was available when they chose in the third round.

Even so, they didn’t feel the same urgency as last year, when they called up every team that might have had a quarterback available. They even called to inquire about the availability of the retired Andrew Luck, just in case. In the end, they sent two third-round picks to the Indianapolis Colts by Carson Wentz and its impact against the $28 million wage hit. Then they cut to Wentz late in the season after injuries and inconsistent play contributed to his finishing 30th in the league in QBR after just eight starts. This offseason, his only move at the position was the signing of the veteran Jacoby Brissett.

Team sources point out that the Commanders they like it too Howell because he has a rookie contract, which has allowed them to make moves in other parts of the roster, such as the renewal with the defensive tackle Daron Payne.

With the imminent arrival of a new owner, head coach Ron Rivera and his group of assistants enter a pivotal year, and Howell He is the type that can save or sentence their futures. They need him to work. And, for this reason, they believe that he will achieve it:

‘I’m not suggesting it’s next Drew Breesbut…’

According to sources with knowledge of the process of the Commandersthe viewers of Washington they gave him a rating that was equivalent to a second-round pick. Some of them gave him a third-round equivalent, but others had him listed as a top-flight late prospect. A source said that, going into the draft, he had not acquired Wentz via swap, they would have focused on Howell for the second day. When he was still available in the fifth round, the Commanders they jumped

When evaluating the wide receiver Dyami Brown prior to 2021 NFL Draftand attend his pro day in North Carolina where Howell was throwing passes at him, they could see Howell close up.

“It was a very impressive day,” he commented. Mayhew . “You would have thought he was one of the guys going out. And there’s this quiet confidence he has. Guys trust him, he works very hard. He’s very smart. Like I said, he can make any pass there is, and the guy is very, very talented. He’s going to be a good player, believe me.”

Los Commanders They are also very aware of what the coaches of the Tar Heels with respect to Howell. They considered Howell as a game freak, saying he studied fronts and protections on Monday mornings — the day after their games — which allowed coaches to have more advanced conversations with them when they met.

“The game comes naturally to him,” said the former offensive coordinator of UNC, Phil Longonow with Wisconsin.

After the draft, Longo compared to Howell with the former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees. In terms of size, at 6 feet 1 inch, Howell He’s an inch taller and has pocket presence and quick-pass intelligence, even when surrounded by defenders.

“I’m not suggesting it’s the next Drew Brees“he stressed Longo“But the skill set that he has, the same strengths.”

‘I’ve come a long way’

During training camp, compared to the other quarterbacks on the roster —Wentz and the substitute Taylor Heinicke— Howell he was clearly behind. Numerous sources with the team said at the time that he needed to work on his fundamentals. Howell He himself admitted that he needed to focus on his footwork and sync with routing concepts, something he didn’t do much of in North Carolina.

“We saw that because of his quick reaction ability and getting the ball out, so he gets lazy with some things,” he revealed. Rivera.

In a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, Rivera pointed to a play in which Howell he did not execute the quick steps to get out of the shotgun formation, which would have resulted in a five-step retreat. Instead, he stayed close to where he received the ball and was sacked on the play. But, according to Riverahaving used appropriate footwork, Howell he would have achieved greater depth and better synchronization with his passing route.

“That was what worried me,” he confirmed. Rivera regarding the impact of poor footwork.

“In college, we use the same setback for most of our passing plays,” he said. Howell Last December. “Here, each play you must know the exact setback and at what moment the ball must come out in each progression.”

But, Howell and the coaches focused on his footwork from the first moment he arrived. By the end of the campaign, it was better. And by the end of the season, Howell it was in a good place. Even if he must learn a new system under the new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemya Howell You like where you are in your development. His footwork was not an issue in the season finale against Dallas.

“I’ve come a long way,” he said.

‘Players recognize players’

As Wentz he missed seven weeks last season with a broken finger on his right hand, Howell he had a chance to receive replays with the first team in practice. Heinickewho was starting by Wentzgot almost all the reps, but there were periods where Howell took all the replays.

“Towards the end of last season, we started to see very positive signs that really showed that he was very confident and comfortable,” he acknowledged. Rivera. “A couple of times, some things happened in practice and you’d see him figure it out himself. That’s something you always look for. He was doing those things probably from mid-season onwards, so we didn’t feel very comfortable about it.”

Prior to this point, the primary role of Howell it had been with the practice squad. His job was to emulate the rival’s offense so that the defense of Washington work on very specific aspects.

“They knew what was coming against the defense and with everything and that made the passes. That was what was impressive,” he said. Rivera.

Rivera said he noticed how the players reacted to Howell in practice, be it with the practice squad or with the starters. Privately, by the end of the campaign, players felt that he was ready to go, with some even predicting that he would do very well in the campaign. NFL.

“The first thing you’d hear from defensive guys was, ‘I was trying to make a play, I just couldn’t get to that ball,'” he said. Rivera. “The old motto is that players recognize players. As you listen to them talking about it, [los receptores decían], ‘His balls are so catchable; he threw that one to the only place [abierto]'”.

‘Better, impossible that touchdown pass’

The only beginning of Howell for little and it does not happen. Rivera had initially appointed Heinicke as a starter for the game against the Cowboys, although Washington he had been eliminated from the postseason. The plan was that Howell then enter during the match. But, Heinicke and others convinced Rivera what Howell I had to start and have the full game.

It was good that you listened; Howell he was able to show more than he is capable of. TO Rivera liked that, after throwing an interception in the red zone, Howell immediately told him what he did wrong and how he could correct it.

There were other plays that stood out for Washington. In the first pass of Howellafter a delivery of the ball to Dallasconnected with wide receiver Terry McLaurin for a 16-yard score. The Cowboys they were in personal cover, but the man covering McLaurin he passed it to a linebacker in midfield, to neutralize the short cross.

Nevertheless, Howell read the personal coverage on the line of scrimmage, and was prepared for the way in which the Cowboys they played against McLaurin. Also, she knew how McLaurin he would react with his optional route, keep running because it was all about personal cover. Rivera said Howell he completed the move thanks to his previous reading.

“Better impossible, that touchdown pass,” he said. Rivera. “She hooked it up on the fly.”

Later, Howell connected with wide receiver Jahan Dotson for gains of 30, 22 and 20 yards. Of those 74 yards, 47 came after the catch. There was a slant over center where he got 22 receiving yards on which Howell stood up, tested the ball once, and unloaded on Dotson on the move before a defender could rotate to help.

Then, with defenders almost on top, he connected with Dotson on a 10-yard outfield, leading with the pass to Dotson to add 10 more yards.

“It was the reason I turned and got yardage after the catch,” he acknowledged. Dotson. “On the end line over the middle, it puts him in the perfect place, where he needs to be. The talent on the arm, we all knew he had it. It was just a matter of being in those situations.”