Commander Country

NFL Power Rankings: Commanders 'Difficult to Buy In?'

The Washington Commanders are a mysterious team this season given their quarterback situation with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. Where does that put them in the NFL power rankings?

Jeremy Brener

In this story:

The Washington Commanders are kicking off training camp with a lot of question marks and pressure surrounding the team.

The biggest question mark of all comes at the quarterback position, where Sam Howell is expected to be the full-time starter, despite starting just one game last season.

Howell showed flashes in the 26-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys, but that game wasn't enough for people to be confident that he is going to be the next quarterback to lead Washington to the playoffs.

Howell's inexperience is part of the reason why the Commanders are ranked No. 23 in Bleacher Report's latest power rankings.

"It's difficult to buy into anything regarding the Washington Commanders when the organization made the conscious decision to name Sam Howell its starter based on one appearance by last year's 144th overall draft pick," Bleacher Report said.

The Commanders' low ranking isn't about what the team currently has ... a strong defense, talented receivers and new momentum surrounding the organization after former owner Dan Snyder's exit. It's about what the team doesn't have ... a legitimate sure-fire answer at quarterback.

It's a fair criticism for the Commanders and it isn't a knock against them. Washington is trying to give Howell a fair shot before seeking other options. It's only fair for him. And with several hot rookie quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft class, the Commanders have some serious evaluating to do.

But the first to get an evaluation is Howell. If he succeeds, he'll stick on and Washington will move up the power rankings. If he fails, he'll get the hook and Washington will fall down the power rankings ... but possibly up the draft order next April.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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