Sam Howell will get every chance to win the Washington Commanders’ starting job. But all along, coach Ron Rivera has maintained that the second-year prospect will face competition for the job.
And there, the Commanders are expected to get clarity soon as to who exactly Howell will face off against.
NFL free agency begins next week — with the legal tampering window opening Monday — and this year, there are a slew of mid-tier, cheaper veteran quarterbacks — the kinds of passers who, in theory, fit perfectly to battle Howell in camp and then become a mentor in the likely event the 23-year-old wins the job.
Rivera has said the Commanders aren’t looking for a “guy we have to spend a lot of capital on,” which would put them out of the running for high-profile names like Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson.
But whoever Washington brings in, Rivera and Co. will also have to be comfortable with the possibility of that signal-caller playing in games — just in case Howell squanders his opportunity in training camp and shows that he’s not ready to be a full-time starter. (Or in case of an injury.)
Under Rivera’s plan, the Commanders are tasked with finding a quarterback who can push Howell, but also is someone who could win games in a likely do-or-die situation for the coaching staff.
That’s not easy.
“(Howell will) get a great opportunity to be our starter, but we do want to find a veteran quarterback,” Rivera said last week at the NFL scouting combine. “We have Taylor Heinicke that’s a free agent … and then we’ll see what happens from there.”
Upcoming free agents that fit the midtier profile that Washington is looking for include Jacoby Brissett, Teddy Bridgewater, Andy Dalton and, yes, Heinicke.
Rivera has expressed interest in retaining Heinicke, who has started 24 games over the last two seasons but can embrace a backup role. Heinicke told “The Pat McAfee Show” last month that while he wants to start next season, being a backup is “one of the best jobs in America.” Heinicke is well-liked within the Commanders’ locker room and has spoken highly of Howell.
Still, there are other options available that may push Howell more in camp. Dalton, for example, held on to the Saints’ job last season thanks in part to his play, even after starter Jameis Winston was cleared to return from a back injury. In 14 starts, Dalton posted the second-best quarterback rating (95.2) of his career, completed a career-best 66.7% of his passes and had 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions. The 35-year-old has also served as a mentor to younger quarterbacks such as Chicago’s Justin Fields and Dallas’ Dak Prescott.
Brissett, meanwhile, also is coming off a solid year. Signed as a bridge starter while Deshaun Watson served his 11-game suspension, Brissett exceeded expectations with the Browns last season by throwing for 2,608 yards and 12 touchdowns to six interceptions. His quarterback rating of 88.9 was even above Watson’s 79.1.
As for Bridgewater, the Commanders’ regime has ties to the 30-year-old as executive Marty Hurney signed Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million contract in 2020 when both were with the Carolina Panthers. Now, Hurney was fired that same year and Bridgewater was traded after just one season, but Bridgewater has an ideal mix of starting and backup experience.
If the Commanders want to go a younger route, there are other options. Sam Darnold, 25, almost led the Panthers to the playoffs last season, while Baker Mayfield looked rejuvenated late in the year after signing with the Los Angeles Rams for the final five games. Former Jaguars starter and Eagles backup Gardner Minshew, 26, could also be intriguing.
Outside of those, Marcus Mariota, Mike White and Cooper Rush all started games last season and are set to become free agents. Winston, too, is expected to soon hit the market once he’s released from the Saints, who signed veteran Derek Carr to a four-year, $150 million contract this week.
No matter who Washington signs, the player will likely come cheap by quarterback standards. The 10 highest-paid backup quarterbacks ranged from $3 million to $7.5 million last season. The range for the 10 highest-paid starting quarterbacks spans from $35 million to $50 million.
Howell’s cap hit for next season, by the way, will be just $960,400.
“He has the skills that it takes to be a starter in this league, in my opinion,” general manager Martin Mayhew said of Howell last week.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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