Sam Howell should be the future starter of the Washington Commanders no matter who coaches them.
Forget spending a first-rounder on a passer next season to go along with a probable new coach and general manager. Oh, everyone loves new quarterbacks and owner Josh Harris could certainly use the ticket revenues that go with the optimism of a new passer.
Washington won’t draft high enough to get a marquee name and should spend that No. 8 to 14 overall selection on an offensive tackle. Take another offensive lineman in the second round. Quarterback – Howell has this locked up.
Howell is essentially a rookie given only one game last season. Teams are lucky if a young gun merits more than a passing grade of C in his first season. The NFL is a cruel classroom not to mention the constant pounding of up to nine sacks per game.
Yet, as Washington reaches midseason, Howell rates a strong B. His four-touchdown, 397-yard effort in the Philadelphia loss on Sunday against maybe the NFC’s best team would have been an A-plus if not missing two critical throws.
Howell is on track for 4,500 yards and 27 touchdowns this season. Only the immortal Sonny Jurgensen has thrown for 30 scores in one season (and in 14 games.) Howell isn’t Jurgensen but could be like predecessors Kirk Cousins or Brad Johnson – solid passers that take teams to the playoffs.
Howell has some flaws. He holds the ball too long. What young passer doesn’t? That can be fixed. Not every throw is accurate, but Howell’s often being chased by 300-pound angry men.
Now that offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has adjusted his game plan to fit Howell with more quick strikes, the latter will only improve.
However, Howell isn’t ready to carry the offense nor should he. Yet, Bieniemy is dialing up passes and forsaken the running game. Backs seem more for blocking or quick screens than running the ball. The Commanders called 55 straight passing plays against Chicago and never ran it after midway in the second quarter. That’s beyond ridiculous even if losing badly before halftime.
Bieniemy’s passion for passes was truly exposed against the Eagles on Sunday. Washington was in control for much of the game. Yet, Howell threw 52 passes versus only 12 designed running plays! On a crucial fourth-and-one, Washington opted to pass and failed. It was a game-turner because Washington could have gone up by 10 points. Instead, the Eagles quickly tied the game, then used an interception to lead for good.
Howell is not the next Patrick Mahomes, but the NFL only has a handful of such passers. Howell needs some help from the offensive line and running game to be another Mark Rypien.
Now, nine games remain and, as coach Ron Rivera likes to dangle, plenty of chances for a turnaround. But, it’s also Howell’s time to seal his job for next season. A terrible second half of the season might tempt the front office to look elsewhere and that would be a mistake.
Washington has 999 needs, but quarterback isn’t one.