Commanders’ Ron Rivera has confidence in Sam Howell, says Jacoby Brissett still competing to be QB1 in 2023

All offseason, the Washington Commanders have maintained that 2022 fifth-round pick out Sam Howell was once their most popular beginning quarterback for the impending 2023 season. They held that stance at the same time as Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr and different confirmed signal-callers modified groups, and right through the draft procedure. 

On Tuesday, Commanders head trainer Ron Rivera seemed to go away a sliver of a gap for Jacoby Brissett to take the process clear of Howell someday. 

“Just because we said Sam will start off as QB1 doesn’t mean he’ll finish as QB1,” Rivera stated, via ESPN. “He’s very, very capable of that … [But] we talk about Jacoby almost as much as we talk about Sam.”

Howell performed — and began — in one sport ultimate season, going 11 of nineteen for 169 yards, one landing and one interception in the regular-season finale towards the Cowboys. Brissett, in the meantime, finished 64% of his passes at a median of seven.1 yards in line with try with 12 touchdowns and 6 selections in 11 video games filling in for the suspended Deshaun Watson in Cleveland ultimate yr, and the ones numbers had been just about in line with the best way he has carried out during his profession as a starter and backup.

Brissett is surely the extra confirmed participant of the 2, however we additionally roughly know what he’s at this level — a participant who sits very easily at the edge of starter and backup-caliber, who would possibly not essentially harm your offense but additionally most definitely would possibly not elevate it through himself. Howell has extra upside as a result of we’ve but to see what he is able to, however he additionally has extra problem. And with the Commanders now beneath new possession, there might be actual force on Rivera to turn out he is the trainer for this workforce in the long run, and that can imply making an actual run on the playoffs. It stays to be observed which quarterback he’d make a selection if this is, in truth, the edict.