The Junks welcomed in PFF’s lead NFL Draft analyst, Trevor Sikkema, on Wednesday to chat about Sam Howell’s NFL impressions so far, given how high he was on Howell prior to the 2022 Draft.
“I was certainly a lot higher on him than where he ended up getting selected. I felt like on production alone, he should have been drafted higher, even if he was absolutely a Day 2 type of quarterback who had really good numbers throwing it down the field and you take a chance on,” Sikkema said. “When you’re able to check the boxes the way Howell was over his three years at UNC, that’s someone that should definitely be a Day 2 selection.”
So how does he feel now after seeing five starts this season?
“I think that it’s par for the course for a young, first-time starter,” Sikkema said. “I know some people might have a little faster of a timeline and may want to see more of a progression because he’s not a true rookie, but I think the ups and downs are exactly what we were going to see from Howell, especially with his background at UNC and figuring out what combination of skills fit Washington best. Even amidst the struggles they’ve had lately, this is kind of hat I expected.”
That said, he’s still high on Howell’s ceiling…if only because of the state of the franchise?
“I still have faith in Sam, and think they should give him the entire year no matter how it goes, because it does feel like this entire regime is tied to Howell,” Sikkema said. “If he plays well, you can bring the regime back, but if he doesn’t, and you totally turn the page and bring in a new quarterback and a new offense, you’re probably going to go through and make wholesale changes. So, to me, it’s Sam Howell’s year no matter what, and the evaluation really begins once we get into December.”
Listen above to Sikkema’s entire segment, which includes thoughts on Howell’s issues with holding the ball too long, as well as some more thoughts from around the NFL!
