In the first hour of Wednesday’s Chris Russell Show, Rooster and producer Matt-E-Iced debated, and took calls on, the idea of Sam Howell being the future franchise QB in DC.
Well, later in the day, when he was joined by Audacy NFL insider Ross Tucker, who called the Commanders’ game last week for national radio, Chris asked Ross about that notion – and while Rooster admitted that, after Jay Gruden said Monday he saw the makings of Howell as a franchise QB, he has a different definition of QB tiers than most, this is what Tucker said when Chris asked if “you see a big-time lightbulb on for Sam or if it’s flickering right now”:
“I would say I’m really encouraged by Sam, and agree with Gruden that the Commanders might have their franchise QB,” Tucker said. “I’m not sure that he would ever be elite, but those guys are really hard to get. I’d say that if you have a guy you believe is a Top 15 quarterback – and I would even argue Top 20 – you have a chance to go to the playoffs, win some games, and maybe get to the Super Bowl if you have a really good team. The reality is, if you have a bottom five quarterback, you have no shot whatsoever, and even bottom 10, it’s really, really tough.”
So, if you have a Top 20 QB, Tucker says, even if he’s closer to 20 than 1, you hang onto him and try to make him the franchise QB.
“If you have a Top 15 to 20 guy, you hold on to him, because you can build around that, and the alternative is not acceptable,” Tucker said.
“That’s where I think it’s trending to right now with Sam Howell. There are still some skeptics, and I get that, but if this was Year 1 for Sam Howell – which it essentially is – or he were a first-rond pick, the narrative around him would be people being fired up for him. But, because it’s Year 2, and because he was a fifth-round pick, there’s more of a healthy skepticism.”
There are “for sure” areas Howell needs to improve, but right now?
“He looks a lot better than Bryce Young does in Carolina, and a lot better than Zach Wilson ever has – and the other night notwithstanding, he looks a lot better than Justin Fields did in his first six games,” Tucker said. “He certainly can make the throws, he’s smart and tough, gives you enough mobility, and is accurate. The sacks are something you can improve, and so I’m encouraged by Sam.”
Take a listen to Tucker’s entire segment above, which includes more thoughts on the Commanders moving forward!