(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
In a not-surprising turn of events, the Washington Commanders have officially announced their starting quarterback for the upcoming season.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Head Coach Ron Rivera named Sam Howell QB1, as everybody expected.
The #Commanders have a QB1, officially: It’s Sam Howell, coach Ron Rivera announced.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 18, 2023
Howell entered the league with mixed reviews, and it seemed like he would take longer before being ready to take the field.
He looked solid in his NFL debut in the regular season finale, and the reviews from training camp and the preseason have been good.
His athleticism, arm strength, and speed have never been questioned, and he did showcase an ability to make plays with his feet and put up big numbers during his days with the UNC Tar Heels, albeit there were questions about how his game would translate to an NFL-style offense.
He’s not exactly the tallest guy on the field and could struggle with poor footwork and pocket awareness, but he can be quite efficient at all levels of the field when he gets into a rhythm.
Even so, his status as QB1 was never in jeopardy, considering he was competing with Jacoby Brissett and Jake Fromm for the job.
The Commanders want to make some noise in the NFC East and hired one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the business in Eric Bieniemy, so there will be high expectations for the former Tar Heel early in his career.
Whether he’ll be able to live up to them and take the team to the playoffs remains to be seen.
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