Howell’s value as a starting quarterback in the NFL is growing, but can he sustain a positive level of consistency over Washington’s last eight games?
The growth that Sam Howell has shown over his last two performances has sparked a larger conversation surrounding his future in Washington. After the win against the Patriots, teammate Jonathan Allen said Washington had found its franchise quarterback for the next five to ten seasons, a bold endorsement so early into Howell’s career. Additionally, Rivera, who had previously stated that he believed the team had identified their guy, made it a point post-game to say Howell led the team to victory against New England.
The growth in Howell is encouraging, and it should be acknowledged how he has developed from a mental standpoint on the field, personally, and with the help of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and a re-tooled offensive line.
On the latest Trap or Dive Podcast, Grant Paulsen, co-host of the Grant and Danny show on 106.7 The Fan, joined AJ, Dre, and myself to discuss Howell’s development throughout the season. But more importantly, what exactly does a franchise quarterback look like, and has Howell done enough to be viewed as one? But also if he could ultimately become an elite franchise quarterback.
For me, Howell has a ways to go before establishing himself as a long-term option. It’s way too premature to declare him a franchise quarterback, but it’s also too early to say that he cannot be one. We are literally in the midst of the process playing out exactly how it should, navigating the good and bad, while also evaluating his skill sets and looking for elite traits. The good news is that Howell does have an elite trait, his ball placement is among the upper echelon of quarterbacks, but can he continue to progress in his pre and post-snap processing to raise his value for whoever will ultimately make the final decision on his future as a starter?
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