Why Sam Howell needs to start for Commanders in Week 18 vs. Dallas

Why Sam Howell needs to start for Commanders vs. Dallas originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Following an abysmal showing in a must-win game against the Cleveland Browns this past Sunday, the Washington Commanders now enter the final week of the regular season officially eliminated from postseason contention.

And, perhaps just as importantly, the Commanders are set to go into another offseason no closer to finding a franchise quarterback.

Carson Wentz, the team’s prized offseason acquisition who threw three interceptions against Cleveland in his first start back, is obviously not the answer. Backup Taylor Heinicke brought some life to the offense when he played this season, but he struggled down the stretch and is scheduled to be a free agent.

If (and when) Wentz is released after the season, the only quarterback on the Commanders’ current roster that’s under contract for next year is Sam Howell. A fifth-round pick from North Carolina this past April, Howell has yet to take a snap this season, with Washington committed to developing the 22-year-old on the bench.

That should change this weekend. Washington head coach Ron Rivera declined to name a starting QB for Week 18 when asked on Monday, saying “I’ll make a decision when it’s time and appropriate.” Despite Rivera’s comments, Howell should, and needs, to be the choice.

From the day Howell was drafted, Rivera and his staff made it clear the selection had to do with long-term development. Howell began the year as the team’s third-string quarterback and remained in that role when all three passers were healthy.

But when Wentz went down in Week 6, Howell was elevated to the backup role. Had Heinicke also gotten injured, the Commanders would’ve had no choice but to turn to Howell. If Rivera and his staff were comfortable with Howell being a play away from stepping in, do they truly feel he’s not ready now, especially in a game where Washington’s playoff chances aren’t impacted?

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Last Friday, Commanders quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese raved about the progress Howell has made throughout the season.

“He’s done a great job. I’m really excited to see him,” Zampese. “He has so much pride and has worked so hard. You can see the progress that he has made. I can when we are on the field all the time or in the meetings all the time. I really like that he is going where he is going.”

Although Howell is just 22, he entered the NFL with a ton of college experience under his belt. Beginning as a true freshman, Howell was a three-year starter at North Carolina and finished his collegiate career with over 10,000 passing yards, 92 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions. He also ran for over 800 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final season with the Tar Heels.

College success is not an end-all, be-all indicator for prosperity in the NFL, but it certainly matters. Before Howell’s junior season, he was in the conversation to be the No. 1 overall pick. His arm talent is special, especially for his size. Howell is far from a typical fifth-round rookie quarterback and arguably had the most college success of any signal-caller in his draft class.

Rivera essentially admitted on Monday that the franchise must attack the quarterback position again this offseason. Even so, it would be organizational malpractice to not get a look at Howell in live action, even if it’s just one game, before entering the offseason. Without any live snaps under Howell’s belt, how can the Commanders truly evaluate him moving forward?

It’s understandable if part of Rivera’s hesitancy to name Howell as the Week 18 starter is due to Washington’s opponent. Dallas’ defense is among the best in the league. The Cowboys have plenty to play for on Sunday, too, as a win over Washington, coupled with a Philadelphia Eagles loss, would give them the NFC East title and potentially the conference’s top seed. It’s certainly not an easy spot for a rookie quarterback to make his first NFL start.

Yet, for Washington’s long-term outlook, the franchise doesn’t gain much of anything by trotting out either Wentz or Heinicke. Both signal-callers had plenty of opportunities to prove their worth this year, but neither did nearly enough to convince Rivera’s staff they can lead the Commanders into the NFL’s elite.

“We’re playing to win,” Rivera said on Monday, even though a victory over Dallas would accomplish nothing other than spoil the Cowboys’ NFC East chances and worsen the Commanders’ draft position. And, based on Washington’s quarterback play of the past month, there’s a realistic chance Howell does give the Burgundy and Gold their best chance to win, anyway.

It’s far from a guarantee that Howell is Washington’s long-term answer at the sport’s most important position. But, at the very least, the Commanders will have a little bit of an idea of what they’re working with moving forward if they give Howell the chance to start against Dallas.