We’ve got a resolution in the Andrew Luck tampering situation: the Commanders will not be penalized for allegedly inquiring about Luck’s availability before acquiring Carson Wentz last offseason.
“I think they just discussed it amongst themselves, because Luck or his brother came right out and said no one contacted him,” EB said. “I think it was a little misconstrued, just the idea that they wanted to turn over every stone. I find it hard to believe this was a serious issue.”
There was a report that the Commanders contacted every team about quarterbacks, to which Cakes laughed about them possibly contacting the Chiefs about Patrick Mahomes…and EB added ‘I doubt they called about Chad Henne.’
Sam Howell is the fourth-youngest projected starting QB in the NFL this year, and as we know, he ranked 39th out of 40 QBs on Chris Simms’ rankings, ahead of only Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder and behind three rookies (at least) and a handful of backups, including former Commander Taylor Heinicke, who is now Ridder’s backup in Atlanta.
Thom Loverro had said last week on the show that he thinks Jacoby Brissett will be the Week 1 starter in DC, but in discussing the Luck tampering situation, EB let loose on how he feels Loverro was totally wrong.
“I wanted to argue with Loverro when we had him on, but this idea that Brissett is going to open the season as the No. 1 guy, I don’t believe it,” EB said. “Remember, they thought they were going to be able to re-sign Heinicke to back up Howell; I don’t think they went after Brissett that the idea that he would be real competition – they signed him with the idea that if Howell fails, they have a good, quality backup. Howell has wiggle room; he doesn’t have to ‘beat out’ Brissett in camp, he just has to be competitive and show promise and upside. How long he lasts? No idea, but I think he starts Week 1.”
“He’s a top-flight insurance plan if things go sideways with Sam Howell,” Cakes added of Brissett. “I’d assume behind closed doors, Bieniemy and Rivera have had the discussion about Howell’s leash if he struggles early.
I think he has a month’s worth of bad games tops before they pull him.”
EB doesn’t think the brass is thinking that way, even if Cakes thinks he should, saying Howell is a great unknown, and EB responding they have Brissett not to take over immediately, but to take over if things go really sideways.
“That’s why they got Brissett,” EB said. “You’re not predicting that Howell is only going to last four games, you’re preparing him to play 17 games, and if he falters, you go to Plan B, and luckily, they have a good Plan B.”
“If I were Eric Bieniemy, I’d get it into Ron’s ear that if Howell falters, Brissett is a decent backup plan, and we shouldn’t hesitate to go to him, even if you’re trying to develop a young QB,” Cakes replied. “I think Ron’s pretty stubborn, so if there’s another voice of dissent about starting a guy with one NFL start under his belt in the most critical campaign of your tenure, I don’t think that’s a bad idea.”
That led to a discussion of why Bieniemy even came here, to which EB shot down the fantasy – and what Lurch said Bieniemy himself might be thinking – that Bieniemy could survive a housecleaning and maybe become the head coach next year.
JP’s take?
“Think of all the quarterbacks Ron has brought in – Jacoby Brissett is just another in a long line of journeyman they’re trying,” he said.
“Ron’s legacy here is going to be ‘never was able to figure out quarterback,’ and that’s why it was a big failure,” Cakes shot back.
Listen to the whole conversation above!
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