The Washington Commanders quarterback competition between Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett won’t be decided until August. However, head coach Ron Rivera has chosen who has the early advantage in the position battle.
Washington signed Brissett to a one-year deal worth $10 million in March, providing him with $8 million guaranteed. The veteran signal-caller is coming off a career-best season, posting the sixth-highest ESPN QBR (60) with an 88.9 passer rating and 12-6 TD-INT line.
Related: Washington Commanders interested in Pro Bowl running back
The contract and Brissett’s performance last season with the Cleveland Browns, outplaying Deshaun Watson, led many to believe that the 30-year-old would open the season as the Commanders’ starting quarterback. However, second-year passer Sam Howell has made a strong impression this spring.
While Washington is making sure there is an open competition between the two this summer, Commanders’ head coach Ron Rivera told reporters this week that Howell will open training camp atop the depth chart and receive the higher share of first-team reps.
“He’s much shown us what we want to see.”
Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera on naming Sam Howell as QB1 before training camp
Rivera explained to John Keim of ESPN that one of the reasons Howell earned the spot is because of what he did during a scrimmage. Washington attached the microphone to him to gauge how Howell acted at the line of scrimmage and in the huddle. When the coaches listened to the audio, they came away very impressed.
“A couple things that really stood out to me was really his confidence level in terms of calling the huddle, breaking the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage, making his calls and then operating the offense.”
Ron Rivera on Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell
Howell, the 144th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, only played in one game last season. The 6-foot-1 quarterback completed 57.9 percent of his pass attempts, scoring two total touchdowns and throwing his first interception with three sacks taken.
While the 22-year-old’s physical tools are the primary reason Washington drafted him, his maturity and leadership have pushed him up the depth chart. If he is named the Commanders’ starting quarterback, Howell will be in a great system with three high-end receivers around him.
Related: NFL insider reveals timeline for Washington Commanders sale approval