Former Commanders QB Takes Blame for Disastrous Season

Getty Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell in 2023.

The Washington Commanders had one of the worst seasons in franchise history in 2023, going 4-13 for their seventh consecutive losing season.

While there was a lot of blame to spread around for the Commanders’ struggles — head coach Ron Rivera was eventually fired — the lion’s share of it seemed to fall on second-year quarterback Sam Howell, who started all 17 games for the Commanders.

Howell, who was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason, spoke about what went wrong in his one season as the Commanders’ full-time starter with Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams and took responsibility for a lot of his mistakes.

“I think I could play some smarter ball. I think there were times where we were down big in some games, I was a little too aggressive just trying to make something happen trying to get us back in the game,” Howell said. “The turnovers are just way too high for what I wanted and what the team needed. I think that’s definitely something I can take from last year.”

Howell led the NFL in three categories in 2023 — pass attempts (621), interceptions (21), sacks taken (65) while throwing for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 263 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Howell Once Projected as No. 1 Overall Pick

By the time the Commanders selected Howell out of North Carolina in the fifth round (No. 144 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft, it was the end of a long, steep decline in terms of Howell’s draft stock.

Headed into the Howell’s junior season in 2021, he was projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Howell threw for 3,641 yards, 38 touchdowns and 7 interceptions as a freshman in 2019 then threw for 3,586, 30 touchdowns and 7 interceptions as a sophomore in 2020 — he was also named All-ACC both seasons.

As a junior in 2021, Howell threw for 3,056 yards, 24 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while rushing for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns as North Carolina went 6-7 and Howell missed out on All-ACC honors.

After the season, Howell announced he would leave school early to enter the NFL draft.

“(Howell’s) limitations became clear to draft experts,” The Sporting News’ David Suggs wrote in 2022. “Howell doesn’t have elite athleticism and he struggled with decision-making in his final season in Chapel Hill. At times, his release is too slow, leading to missed passes. He has a lower ceiling than some of his contemporaries, such as (Malik) Willis and (Desmond) Ridder.”

What Does Howell’s Future Look Like?

Howell showed enough in 2023 for NFL teams to look at him as a serviceable backup, which might be his role moving forward. In March, the Commanders traded Howell, a fourth-round pick and sixth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for a third-round pick and fifth-round pick.

He’ll be the backup to starter Geno Smith in 2024.

“In this league, to be able to play, you’ve got to compete, and that’s what I’m willing to do, no matter what the situation is, no matter who the starter is,” Howell told The Associated Press. “If I’m the starter, I’m coming to compete every single day,” Howell said. “Geno has been great. I’ve learned a lot from Geno, and he’s a great player. I have a lot of respect for him and everything he’s been through in his career.”