Commanders Coach Ron Rivera Reveals 'More Than Likely' QB1
The Washington Commanders enter the 2023 season with a question mark at quarterback, but head coach Ron Rivera may have put an end to the mystery.
In an appearance on NFL Network, Rivera was asked whether the team's Week 1 starting quarterback was on the roster now.
Rivera responded: "Well I think [Sam Howell] most certainly can be... We will go into OTA's, minicamp and training camp with Sam Howell more than likely as QB1 and we'll see what happens."
The endorsement is major news for the Commanders and Howell, who started the team's final game of the season ... a 26-6 win against the playoff-bound Dallas Cowboys.
Howell, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, sat behind Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke for a majority of the season, but without the pressure of performing on the field, he soaked up a lot of knowledge and developed his tools to make him the early favorite to be the team's starter going into next season.
As for the 2022 quarterbacks, Wentz is likely to be cut with his $26 million cap hit for next season and Heinicke is a free agent ... though he could return to Washington in a backup/complementary role to Howell.
Rivera also stated on the broadcast that there would be some type of competition for the starting gig and that Howell wasn't guaranteed to be under center Week 1.
Whether that competition comes from Heinicke, another veteran free agent or a rookie in the upcoming draft, Howell will have to earn his place as the team's franchise quarterback.
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