Sam Howell retains starting spot for Commanders, but his future has never been less clear

Amid a rough season that will almost certainly be his last in Washington, Commanders coach Ron Rivera has repeatedly pointed to one bright spot.

“I think the biggest thing, more than anything else, I think we have found a young quarterback that gives us an opportunity,” Rivera said after a late-October loss to the Eagles.

Even that small sliver of sunshine has grown darker, though. First-year starter Sam Howell has regressed over the last five weeks in games against higher-caliber defenses, and he was benched with nine minutes remaining for backup Jacoby Brissett in Sunday’s loss to the Rams.

Brissett entered and threw two touchdowns, but there is no quarterback controversy, not even a hint of one, at the moment. Rivera quickly proclaimed this week that Howell remains the starter as the Commanders get ready to travel to New Jersey to face the New York Jets.

“I’ve got to play better,” Howell said bluntly after the game. “We had some things there on offense and we did some good things throughout the game, but just wasn’t good enough. I’ve got to play better, got to execute better. So it is what it is. 

“I know I’m not defined by this one game or anything like that. So, keep going, keep trying to get better.”

That’s easier said than done with three of the league’s best defenses — the Jets, 49ers and Cowboys — on tap to finish the season.

Howell is also dealing with the accumulation of a long season. He’s been sacked a league-leading 59 times, and the Commanders’ offensive line seems unlikely to solve that season-long problem before Sunday.

The Commanders currently sit in the No. 4 spot in the NFL draft, a tempting position from which to take a young quarterback, even if that means pulling the plug on Howell. A couple of wins down the stretch, though, would help Howell secure his spot under center for 2024.

Rivera was curt when asked about Howell on both Sunday and Monday, saying he only pulled Howell for the quarterback’s protection.

“Well, just really trying to take care of him a little bit,” the coach said. “He got into a situation and then the ears pinned back like that. Didn’t want to see anything crazy.”

Rivera hedged Monday when asked if Howell would still be starting if the team was in the playoff race, a sign that there may be a ceiling on what the quarterback can accomplish this year.

It’s unlikely the season would have turned out any differently with Brissett under center. With new ownership taking over, even a nine-win season with a veteran quarterback likely wouldn’t have been enough for Rivera to keep his job as coach.

Brissett said he felt good getting a chance to play, and will likely enter the offseason ready to sign once again as a priority backup with a team looking for a strong veteran presence.

Howell said he has learned a lot from Brissett, but emphasized his readiness to get back under center.

“I know what it takes to play this position well in this league,” he said. “Obviously, I’ve seen a lot of guys do it. Jacoby played well. He’s a really good football player and he’s shown that throughout his career. Watching him work the offense and those 2-minute drills in those times, he did a good job of executing those situations and the plays that were called. So yeah, for sure, I’ll always try to learn and get better, and he’s a great one to learn from.”