Poll: The Future of Sam Howell

[Boone]

What's your Howell plan?

 

[Neophyte]

Sam is The Man for now.

 

[DixieFlatline]

Growing pains...growing pains...or more growing pains. We have to be patient and see if it works out. Let's get a better OL in front of him and see how he progresses with that. No need to chase the white whale.

 

[burgold]

Heh. I’m surprised by the results so far, but I guess I’m in the majority. Build a line. Without that, no rookie stands a chance.

I think we’ve seen enough to know he can play in this league and enough to make us skittish. But given that Harris likes to take the long view and isn’t one for quick fixes, take this year to build the line, give Sam a safety net tight end, and see what happens. If he’s bad then you have a better team and still a high pick to get a QB.

 

[Chris]

I’m going to steal from J.P.-

I‘ve had some nice dates with Sam but I’m not ready to give him a key to my house or put a ring on it, especially with Spring Break right around the corner.

I really like the young man but I’m not concerned for him as a person. He (gawd willing) is going to have a very long NFL career and will make a bunch of money. Is he a/the answer for Washington? I just don’t know.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

Until we actually have a NFL caliber O line and hate to say it, some play calling that doesn't scream "WTF" numerous times during the game I gotta stick with Howell. He's earned another season at least to get a better sample, not that this sample has actually been bad.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I'll caveat this by saying that when a new coach and GM come in, they will have their own judgements to make based on how they want to build the team. So regardless of his play, they may deem they want someone else.

Back to the here and now. This wasn't even a question a few weeks ago. It goes to show you how quickly things can change in this league. What has happened is he has hit the wall. It takes a good coach and supporting cast to help him through. If the QB can learn and adjust along with the coaches and other players, that's when a QB can grow and succeed. Will that happen with Sam? I don't know. Do they have the coaches and supporting cast to help him, I'm not sure about that either. But some adjustments need to be made. Other defenses know what plays are being run and what reads he is going to make. They know to pressure him and he won't make the reads and throws he needs to make. Basically, the defense is controlling his game right now instead of him dictating the game.

I agree with what others have said, this team has a bigger need than at QB. They have to build the offensive line. They have to get some more weapons on offense. They also need defense, but that's not for this discussion. So if the new management decides that they want to move on at QB, then what is the plan for the O-Line. It's the same debate we have had about taking a guy like Harrison. You get that WR, but you don't have a line to block to keep the QB upright to throw the ball. So with Sam on a very cheap rookie QB deal, to me the best plan is to stick with him and a vet QB like Brissett, while you build the O-Line and improve the TE position. If Sam really struggles out of the gate next year, then you have a guy like Brissett to come in and try to salvage the season. The expectation that next year this team is going to be a playoff contender is pretty farfetched. So next year is going to be a year to grow as a team. Why not roll with what you have, upgrade the other positions, and if the QB position is the issue, you figure that out the next year.

On that note, depending on how the draft goes, if they end up trading down a few spots (few being the key), I'd love to see them get a first rounder from a team that could be bad next year. And on the flip side, what a disaster it would be to see them trade this year and next years picks to move up only to have an awful season, giving another team a top pick. Think of what the Panthers just did this last year and how they have no top pick to improve on the disaster they have been.

 

[burgold]

Other defenses know what plays are being run and what reads he is going to make.

To me, this is a key point.

Because we have a terrible o-line, Sam only has time to drop back and let it rip. Defenses know that. They can sit on routes. They can anticipate the throw. By now, they know who the hot read and first read is for pretty much every play Bienemy runs. Take that away and the rush is on top of Sam and he has to run for his life or he has to force it. This also may explain why Sam's only effective plays came on broken plays and scrambles. Suddenly, the D's timing changed.

 

[Solitary Man]

Brisket looked good I will admit, but Terry was abusing an inexperienced db that for some reason was getting zero help. His height made it look easy for him to survey and throw in the pocket.


I like Sam. We can win with him. He does get a lot of balls tipped. This is a problem. Even the swing pass is difficult for him. He clearly needs more time to throw and more experience.
I don’t know if it’s EB and Sam. I think he needs someone else. Get that left tackle

 

[DieselPwr44]

What kills me is the segment of the fanbase that knows what Sam is after 14 starts or claims to know his ceiling.
No patience whatsoever for player development, especially at QB.

When you consider the line in front of him, the lack of a legit TE and the lack of a viable running game....and on top of that, an OC who doesn't seem to want to run the ball.....how in the hell can you make any judgement on Sam as a finished product?

Just think about this: with three games left, if Sam finishes the season, it will mark the first time in forever we've had a QB make it through a whole season without winding up on IR with a broken leg or ankle or concussed! That is an accomplishment here considering the state of the roster and the haunted history of FedEx Field!

But the portion of the fanbase that wants to willingly throw him away and start all over with a complete unknown is baffling to me. These are most likely the same folks who told us after 2013 that RG3 needs more time and told us again in 2014.

I'd rather start working on an Oline that has been neglected the last 6 years and build a dominant unit that can create holes for Rbs and give Sam time with believable play action.

I think the anti-Sam crowd are just kids that want everything right now...a microwave QB, instead of putting ingredients in a pot and letting it simmer in the pot until it's good.

Damn, now I'm hungry...almost supper time...who's up for homemade soup today?

 

[Canadian Hog]

San Francisco, Kansas City, and Philly are some recent examples I believe where QBs were dropped into an already well-built roster and subsequently, the teams flourished and continue to do so. I feel like that model allows for a greater likelihood of sustained team success, as opposed to starting from the ground up with a high pick at QB and a bare cupboard around him.

We've got time on our hands here - new ownership will be entering year one with essentially their team and fingerprints on the roster. I am not sure you come out swinging for the fences in year one kind of like Snyder did. Hit for singles and be everything he was not early on.

Build your offensive line - the one area where when we draft it high, we actually have a track record of success historically.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I put 'stick with Sam" but I don't think he's shown enough in either direction to say he's 100% the guy, or 100% incapable either. I said it weeks ago on the podcast, and i'm continuing the same approach, my mind isn't made up on him one way or the other, and right now that's not changing. Even if we continue to see the struggles like we did at times this past weekend, it's likely changing either.

That said, if I'm a GM walking in here, i'm addressing the roster beyond QB unless there's an absolute slam dunk long term option available. I will 10000% admit I have not researched QBs a ton in the draft because I've always believed that the best plan of focus would to be taking an OT with our first pick, and developing the roster with as much talent as possible this coming offseason where we are going to have as much flexibility as we've ever had. To Paul's point above, a number of the better teams in the league right now had rosters in place before their current starting QB was added to the roster. Sam's struggles are somewhat warrented with what he's been up against this season (and my absolute complete lack of confidence that Rivera has the ability to set him up to succeed), but he's also made mistakes. That doesn't mean hes incapable of developing, but I think it's obvious he doesn't have the ability to walk into an abject disaster and be the savior (nor should he, that's not exactly easy). I don't know that any QB would be consistently successful in the current situation, so as long as that's on the table, I don't think a determination can be made about Sam in either direction.

 

[Boone]

Great post Derek

 

[Henry]

I don't know. The team may have broken him.

Having him run this offense, with that offensive line ... brutal. Anyone could see this coming weeks ago.

I guess I'd stick with him, but only if there is a new OC and they build a line and they think about running the ball once in awhile, which I am assuming will happen. Otherwise, it likely doesn't matter.

 

[Boone]

I don’t believe it’s possible for a QB to be broken in a season.

Howell’s situation is exactly what you would expect under the circumstances.

1. It’s his first NFL season under center.
2. He’s taken more sacks/hits than any QB in Washington history.
3. His OC has him passing as often as any QB in the NFL despite the above.

What we know so far:
1. He’s got an NFL arm.
2. He’s got good mobility.
3. He’s tough and durable.
4. He’s mature and resilient.
5. He makes bad decisions at times.
6. He presses at times.

That’s 4 positives to 2 negatives for me. I think that’s enough to continue but it doesn’t matter what I think.

The other thing I’ll say is that the tendency to judge QB performance and potential in isolation as if it was unrelated to anything going on around him is ridiculous. I heard Sheehan say ‘Jacoby Brissett is obviously a better QB than Howell’. What?? Based on what - a quarter coming off the bench? Brissett is a journeyman backup, a good backup, but that’s what he is - demonstrated over numerous seasons. We have no idea what we have in Howell yet. There are glimpses of great QB play, and plenty of things that cause concern.

But until he has a capable offense around him and an OC that can figure out how to optimize his talents and mitigate his weaknesses, we can’t know what his ceiling is.

 

[Canadian Hog]

The sense I am getting from practically all of us is that we agree Sam is workable/moldable clay. When you pair that with a roster that is nowhere near being ready to compete and requiring a major overhaul, philosophy-wise, I don't personally see the need to rush out a draft a QB in the top five. I get that there are so called "franchise QBs" being potentially available in April's draft, but with those selections come enormously huge risk that can set your franchise back several years. Washington can't afford to be set back further than we already are. Over and above that, is the ownership group prepared to hitch their wagon to one of these so-called can't miss prospects at QB. It will be fascinating to watch the drama unfold, but I desperately hope they take a more pragmatic and patient approach instead of diving in head first in year one.

 

[tomwvr]

Sam has a lot of NFL caliber skills and a very doos arm. He also has a pretty good head on his shoulders, I say draft a OT with the first pick a guard with one of the 2s and rebuild the line. If we have misjudged Sam and he fails behind an improved line we still get a high draft pick in 2024 with an improved line.
If he takes us to the playoffs with a improved line then we survived another reset

 

[Commodes Fan]

Howell has no future as a starting QB after this season. Brissett came in the game last Sunday and showed everyone immediately what the problem has been on offense all season -- Sam Howell.

Howell is so bad that he wouldn't even be a backup QB on most NFL teams. And if he keeps crapping the bed like he has the past few weeks, he might play himself right out of the NFL just like Carson Wentz did.

 

[Boone]

 

[Chris]

Howell is certainly no Taylor Heinicke, that’s for sure.