Commander Country

Sam Howell vs. Taylor Heinicke: Commanders Rookie QB Needs Start After Carson Wentz Injury?

The Washington Commanders are dealing with an injury for Carson Wentz. Could now be the time for rookie Sam Howell to showcase what he has?

Jeremy Brener

In this story:

The Washington Commanders face a conundrum at quarterback following Thursday's win against the Chicago Bears.

Carson Wentz struggled, throwing only 99 yards, but he did so while fracturing his finger in the first half. Wentz is set to be evaluated Monday in Los Angeles, but there is potential for the starting quarterback to be out for up to six weeks ... meaning the Commanders need a new signal-caller.

The next man up is likely going to be Taylor Heinicke, who started 15 games for Washington last season, but could there be a spot for fifth-round rookie Sam Howell?

Howell has been inactive for the team's first six games, but with Wentz likely out, the rookie moves up one spot on the depth chart.

The reason Washington would start Howell over Heinicke is all about development and evaluation. The Commanders know what they have in Heinicke, and decided that they needed an upgrade in the offseason. Meanwhile, the team doesn't quite know what it has in Howell, who has yet to make his NFL debut.

Back in the preseason, Howell threw for 547 yards and a touchdown while completing over 62 percent of his passes. He also ran the ball 13 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns, proving himself to be a dual threat.

While Howell likely won't see the field before Heinicke, Wentz's injury increases the probability that the rookie could make an appearance this season.

If the Commanders keep their pace for the last two-thirds of the season, the team will pick inside the top-10, and maybe even in the top-5. With rookie quarterbacks C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young and Will Levis potentially declaring for the draft, Washington needs to know what it currently has before making a major investment for the future.

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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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