NFL insider suggests Washington Commanders won't consider a Round 1 QB, with Sam Howell taking over

Failing to find an above-average starting quarterback since allowing Kirk Cousins to leave in free agency back in 2018, one would think the Washington Commanders would be desperate to find a long-term solution at the most important position in football.

Heading into the 2023 season, the Commanders currently have Jacoby Brissett, 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell, and former undrafted free agent Jake Fromm on their QB depth chart. Each of these players has made an NFL start, and in Brissett’s case, he’s proven to be one of the better backups in the league, if not a starter capable of filling in for short stretches of the season.

But most signs point to Howell, the 6-foot-1 quarterback out of North Carolina, who was the 144th pick last year, getting a chance to start in 2023.

ESPN’s John Keim’s sources suggest, “Many believe taking a passer on Day 1 is off the table.” This is certainly noteworthy because the Commanders are selecting 16th in the 2023 NFL Draft. While most expect each of the top four quarterbacks to be gone by the time the Commanders are on the clock, one rising star may still be available.

Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker is one of the most unpredictable prospects in this year’s draft class. Not only did he tear his ACL back in November, keeping him out for all of training camp and likely a good portion of the upcoming season, he’s also already 25, which is much older than most NFL Draft prospects.

Yet, it’s not like ‘older’ prospects haven’t still become top picks in the past. In 2012, we saw the Cleveland Browns select Brandon Weeden with the 22nd overall pick, despite the former baseball-turned-football player already being 28 years old.

In turn, if Hooker didn’t have an injury to rehab and was a ‘normal’ age, like 22, 23, or 24, how highly regarded would he be as a prospect? If this kid can play ball, should anyone really care whether he’s 25 or 28? Franchise quarterbacks are hard to find, and if Hooker is legitimate, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be a first-round pick.

Yet, according to Keim, even Hooker is off the table. We’ll see if that rings true on April 27, especially if another top QB prospect begins to slide.