Former Commanders quarterbacks found themselves in risky situations
The situation remains uncertain for these former Commanders quarterbacks.
The Washington Commanders were set to begin their new era with a new quarterback. With big ambitions for the franchise and holding the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, General Manager Adam Peters knew he couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity.
Jayden Daniels was their chosen quarterback, and the team’s hopes for meaningful progress now rest on his shoulders. However, this transition was always expected to involve some collateral effects.
When it became evident that the Commanders were targeting a college quarterback—though the specific choice remained unknown until the draft—the future for Sam Howell was all but decided. Peters managed to get good value for Howell, trading him to the Seattle Seahawks, where he is expected to serve as Geno Smith’s backup in 2024.
Two former Commanders quarterbacks find themselves in challenging situations.
Howell faced a tough season behind a weak offensive line during his time as Washington’s starter. Several teams expressed interest in his availability. The former North Carolina star was traded for significantly more than other quarterbacks like Justin Fields and Mac Jones, who were first-round picks but didn’t meet their high expectations.
Howell’s start in a new environment has been rocky. Gregg Bell from The News Tribune pointed out that his inaccuracy is a significant issue. The beat writer also mentioned that veteran journeyman P.J. Walker might take Howell’s No. 2 spot if his performance doesn’t improve.
“Days before the team dons full pads, the Washington Commanders’ starter from last season seems to be competing more with third-string QB P.J. Walker for the backup role behind Geno Smith than for any playing time this year. Friday was Howell’s toughest day yet. Seattle acquired Howell from the Commanders this spring by sending a fourth- and a sixth-round draft pick. After Friday’s practice, Smith, who is 33 and a decade older than Howell, was asked about the most important quarterback statistics or traits. ‘I’ll take it back to Bill Parcells,’ Smith said. ‘The number-one thing you look at in a quarterback is accuracy,’ he stated, noting that he led the NFL in completion percentage for Seattle in 2022 with a team-record 69.8. ‘Before decision-making. Before anything.'”
The Seahawks aren’t ready to give up on Howell so quickly after acquiring him.
He’s expected to spend a year or two learning behind Smith, honing his skills with the potential to eventually take on a starting role. While this seems to be the intended plan, the NFL is known for its rapid changes.
The situation appears even more challenging for another former Commanders quarterback.
Taylor Heinicke is deep on the Atlanta Falcons’ depth chart after the NFC South team signed Kirk Cousins in free agency and used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to select Michael Penix Jr. His prospects are not particularly promising, but the veteran remains committed to contributing as long as he is needed, according to remarks made to Josh Kendall of The Athletic.
“I can see the writing on the wall. It’s not new to me; I’ve faced similar situations before. My role now is to support Kirk [Cousins] and Michael [Penix Jr.] in any way I can. I’ve come to terms with that and am focusing on excelling in that role. After all, the NFL stands for ‘Not For Long,’ right?”
Heinicke appears to be a prime candidate for a salary-cap cut, given the $3.32 million in savings that would come from his early departure.
If this scenario unfolds, the future for the Collins Hill High School product is uncertain. Without other opportunities, he could potentially be excluded from the league entirely.
These difficulties reflect the poor quarterback evaluations during Ron Rivera’s four years as head coach. Howell and Heinicke were the best of a mediocre group, facing a series of disasters. The decision to bypass drafting Justin Herbert or Tua Tagovailoa in 2020 set off a chain of events that the previous head coach could not recover from.
Peters is expected to change this narrative, or at least that’s what every Washington fan hopes.
He is known for his exceptional talent evaluation and strongly believes that Daniels has the potential to transform the Commanders from also-rans into serious contenders. If successful, it would make the quarterback struggles of recent years a painful but distant memory.
