I was watching two NFL Football analysts a couple of days ago discuss Commanders’ quarterback Sam Howell.
Early on, one of the analysts declared, “If Jordan Love is going to be the breakout player for the Green Bay Packers then Sam Howell has to be for the Washington Commanders.”
Easy comparison, right?
I couldn’t help but wonder how many viewers simply nodded their heads and accepted the logic of the analyst making the comparison of Love and Howell being so closely analogous.
I looked at the television and instantly replied something like, “Oh, come on. You guys are that simplistic?”
Love is entering his third NFL season, and Howell his second.
“But both Love and Howell have only started one NFL game. They have that in common.”
Yes, I agree. And I also realize Love is entering his third NFL season in the same offense and with the same head coach. He also had future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the QB room his first two seasons.
Yes, Sam Howell played well in his only start in the 2022 season finale. However, Howell was having to use this offseason to learn a new offense with new terminology and vocabulary. Howell has a new offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy, replacing Scott Turner. Whatever system he learned during his rookie season has been discarded, as he is learning an entirely new offense now.
Whatever the Green Bay scouts and coaches saw, they chose to draft Love with the 26th overall selection in 2020.
Howell? Well, though he was the previously year thought to be a first-round selection when the 2022 draft occurred, Sam Howell mysteriously fell not half a round, not even only two rounds. There is a reason (or perhaps two reasons) why Howell fell all the way to the top pick in the 5th round.
If Ron Rivera actually felt as good about Howell as he has several times stated, then why did the Commanders in round three (98 overall) not select Howell? He was such a steal at 98 and 113, respectively, that they selected Brian Robinson, Jr and Percy Butler, not Sam Howell.
Of course, Commanders Wire is hoping for a great season from Sam Howell. No, we are not being pessimistic at all regarding Howell. But neither are we being naively optimistic.
Seeking to be realistic, we know that there is a narrative out there that resulted in Howell falling all the way to the fifth round.
Realism also reminds us a very select few third-day draft picks have had successful NFL careers as a starting quarterback.
So, give the young man a shot. Be realistic. Don’t simplistically and naively agree with the “expert” analysts who may not have actually looked into the Commanders as they lead you to believe.
