Commanders QB Sam Howell 'Excites Us,' Reveals Coach Ron Rivera

Coach Ron Rivera reveals that former North Carolina star Sam Howell will enter Commanders training camp as QB1, with newcomer vet Jacoby Brissett as the backup.

The Washington Commanders want competition. But they also need to have a plan. And now head coach Ron Rivera - who has attempted to keep the team's quarterback competition winner a mystery for most of this offseason - is offering up his decision.

Rivera revealed this weekend that former North Carolina star Sam Howell will enter training camp as QB1, with newcomer vet Jacoby Brissett as the backup.

"He's shown us what we want to see," Rivera said. "He's young, we know he is young. There was a lot of room for growth, and we know that, but he's got a good skillset. He's mobile, he's got good foot movement, he's got quick twitch to him, good decision-maker. He is still learning to make those decisions, but he's also got the arm talent and that's the thing that excites us."

That is a paragraph-load of compliments for a second-year QB who was a fifth-round NFL Draft pick and who has but one pro start on his resume. Of course, that start was against the hated Dallas Cowboys. And Washington won. So that's something ...

The coach did say good things about Brissett's contributions to the competition. But other Washington players have been sort of spilling the beans here.

Said Cole Turner: “He’s saying something after a bad play, he’s not afraid to talk to someone. He’s started to step up and be the man.”

Said Jahan Dotson: "I think we got our quarterback situation settled. I think Sam Howell's gonna be our guy."

Rivera said, "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.''

Things can change, starting with training camp and beyond. But there is also this: Once offensive teammates start going public with their support of a QB as a starter? That's probably your starting QB. And that's what Sam Howell now is.

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