The Washington Commanders saga is a story that fans hope come to an end soon. In an ever-evolving quarterback position group that continues to change this latest news shows a desire to stick with the known rather than an unproven recent addition to the practice squad.
Washington Commanders Starting Quarterback
The Washington Commanders announced that Sam Howell would once again get the start against the San Francisco 49ers. The move comes as a midweek announcement from head coach Ron Rivera had selected Jacoby Brissett to be the starter for the NFC fixture. Also, former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm had been signed to the active roster, after spending the year on the practice squad.
As things stand as of now, Fromm will be the backup and Brissett will serve as the emergency quarterback. The player who was supposed to get the start Brissett is dealing with a hamstring injury. The news is not welcomed as in both games against the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Jets, Brissett was able to come in and provide a much-needed spark for the offense.
Washington Commanders To Date
It has been rough sledding for this team and the franchise as a whole. While Sam Howell has shown promising glimpses throughout the season, it has been a largely inconsistent offense that has often looked outmatched.
Before the game against the 49ers, Howell had 19 touchdowns to a league-high 17 interceptions. His best performance arguably came against a Philidelphia Eagles team in which he threw for 397 yards, four touchdowns, and only one interception.
Behind a beat-up offensive line, and limited receiving options, a likely part of why it has taken so long to move off of Howell is because of how he has been able to stand in there and withstand punishment week in and week out. While his teammates and coach Rivera have voiced their approval of Howell, this may prove to be the final chance for him to showcase his skills as a Commander.
While the outlook does not look good for the current fourth-place team in the NFC East, having to finish the season against the 49ers and Dallas Cowboys is not a way that this team was hoping to finish the season.
Washington Commanders Future
With the likely series of impending changes that are going to take place in this Washington Commanders franchise, this last chance will likely be something of an audition tape for Howell to be picked up by another team next season.
Ron Rivera currently looks to be a lame-duck coach, and the team is not likely to trust their upcoming near-the-top draft pick to be in the hands of Rivera for the 2024 season.
With four wins on the season, seven teams have five or fewer wins to this point of the year. Depending on how the chips fall and with several well-anticipated college draft prospects, the Washington Commanders will be in the hunt to draft a signal caller who they will hope to mold into their franchise player for years to come.