ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Commanders did something that has become somewhat of a tradition for the franchise: They changed starting quarterbacks.
On Wednesday, coach Ron Rivera announced backup Jacoby Brissett would start Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (1 p.m. ET, Fox), benching Sam Howell -- whom they hoped would be their longtime solution at quarterback.
Teammates and coaches say Howell can still become that guy. However, Rivera said they wanted to let him sit against San Francisco and probably against Dallas in the season finale.
The announcement marks another negative development in a lost season for the Commanders (4-11).
Brissett, who was listed as questionable with a hanmstring issue Friday, would become the ninth quarterback to start in Rivera's four seasons, the 13th since Kirk Cousins last played here in 2017 and the 36th quarterback since the team last won the Super Bowl after the 1991 season.
Why was Howell benched?
Howell has thrown 19 touchdown passes and an NFL-high 17 interceptions. In the past five games he has been picked off eight times while throwing only two touchdown passes. He led only five touchdown drives in the past four games -- the same amount of touchdowns Brissett produced in his first five series in relief the past two weeks.
During Brissett's first two appearances, Washington outscored the Los Angeles Rams and New York Jets by a combined 34-3 with him in the game. The Commanders were outscored 55-14 with Howell playing. Clearly, the issues weren't all on Howell as the defense continued to play poorly, but the offense was not moving. The Commanders averaged an NFL-worst 79.5 yards in the first half of the past two games.
Brissett has played with a calmness, allowing him to make quick decisions and to hang in the pocket a little longer. On his first throw Sunday vs. the Jets, a third-and-4 from the New York 23-yard line, Brissett looked to his left and started to throw to tight end Logan Thomas, who was turning around 5 yards downfield. But two defenders were closing in on him. So Brissett pulled the ball back and, with the interior closing in on him, turned his eyes and feet around and threw to the other side for a 10-yard pass to receiver Jahan Dotson.
Receiver Terry McLaurin said it stems from Brissett being an experienced veteran. McLaurin said Brissett is confident in what he sees.
"He does a really good job pre-snap of having a good feel of where he's going to go with the football," McLaurin said, "and depending on what the look is post-snap it confirms what he's seeing or he works to the other side of the field. He does a good job picking matchups based on where the safety leverage is. Just intricate details he's done for a very long time."
Running back Antonio Gibson said when he was standing on the sideline he wasn't surprised by Brissett. He has started 48 games and played in 79; he already has endured what Howell is going through now. Brissett was sacked 52 times on 469 pass attempts in 2017, but two years later it was 27 times in 447 attempts.
"He's comfortable out there, so when he gets in, it's just another day for him," Gibson said.
Why has Howell struggled of late?
It's a combination of factors. Howell has done well with his improvisational skills, escaping the pocket to make big plays on the run. It helped him make multiple big plays in a Week 9 win over New England.
However, that same mindset has landed him in trouble. Two weeks ago vs. the Rams, Howell scrambled to his right and passed up an easy completion for perhaps 7 yards to a wide-open Gibson. Instead, Howell went for a possible bigger play and threw across his body to the inside for McLaurin. It ricocheted off the receiver's outstretched hands and was intercepted.
Last week, he ran to his left and attempted to launch a pass downfield under duress. His arm was hit as he threw, the ball bounced up, and one of his offensive linemen saved a possible interception by batting it out of a defender's hands.
Other times coaches said he passed up easy completions from the pocket, whether to look for a bigger play or because he was uncertain.
"There have been times where he's pressing, he's trying to do that too much, which is a function of us not being in a rhythm and him trying to get something going," Washington quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard said. "You've got to stay within yourself, stay within the offense trust. We talked a lot about trust over the last few weeks of just trusting the system. Trust your teammates, trust the timing, trust your eyes, trust the progression. And so that's kind of the focus and the work on right now is playing with some trust."
Regardless, the more Howell played, the more he started to struggle.
"Once you get to the middle end of the year, they got film on you now," Thomas said. "And for Sam, I feel for him, it's not anything that he's done completely wrong. We haven't helped him either. He's a tough kid. He's got us head on, right. So he'll be fine."
Some in the organization say the Commanders did not help Howell by having him attempt so many passes -- he's second in the NFL with 557 pass attempts -- and that they did not develop the run game. Their 328 rush attempts are third fewest in the league. One team source said it put more of the onus on Howell, who has been playing behind an offensive line they had questions about entering the season.
What does this mean for Howell this season?
It probably means his season is over. But Rivera said part of Howell's growth as a player can occur over the next two games simply by watching Brissett. It's a chance for Howell to take a step back and watch how a veteran such as Brissett handles an entire game.
"This is about Sam's continued development, and things hadn't gone as well as we'd like for him the last few weeks," Rivera said. "Jacoby being the professional that he is and playing the way he has is really going to give Sam an opportunity to see some things and see how the offense goes. It'll help him."
Howell's benching is not a positive development; ideally for Washington it would have played better to cross this longtime position need off its list. But Rivera, who has said a number of times this season was about Howell's growth and development, remains steadfast in his support -- regardless if he's coaching him.
"He's a resilient player," Rivera said, "a solid young man who has a bright future in this league. He's a guy who can play quarterback in the NFL and do it at a high level."
What is Howell's future in Washington?
Howell has two years remaining on his rookie contract, which means he could still become a starter or simply a quality backup in Washington. However, with new owner Josh Harris expected to make sweeping changes in the organization after the season, Howell would be with a new staff and front office that did not draft him.
If the Commanders want to draft a quarterback and pair him with a veteran, they could seek to trade Howell.
Howell remains upbeat.
"The main thing is I know my worth," Howell said. "I know the type of player I'm capable of being. This isn't going to make me forget all the things I've done well this year. I've shown at times I can be a good player in this league. Those are things that will keep my confidence up. I know I can play in this league."
McLaurin said, "I still believe in his ability to be a successful quarterback in this league."
With 16 games on his résumé already -- Howell started the 2022 season finale -- there's enough evidence to determine if Howell is worth developing, or if they want to go in a different direction.
Rivera, who has been steadfast in his support of Howell, said it doesn't alter his belief in what kind of player he can become.
"He's got a very good body of work," Rivera said.
What does this mean for the Commanders?
In the short term it could mean they have a chance to be more competitive against the 49ers and Cowboys.
"[Brissett] is going to give us a chance to be successful," McLaurin said.
But in the long term it could mean they'll be back in the market for another quarterback. Washington currently owns the No. 3 pick in the draft. With Arizona at No. 2, and having quarterback Kyler Murray, it's possible the Commanders would be able to draft one of the top two quarterbacks, expected to be either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, who succeeded Howell at North Carolina.
It's uncertain who will be making that decision. Harris has set up his other two organizations by having a general manager hire a coach and letting them operate; those who have worked under Harris said he does not meddle. Harris inherited Howell, who was drafted in 2022. All of which means whoever is in charge of the football side will determine if the Commanders want Howell to start or if they should draft someone.
Former NFL general manager Rick Spielman said if Washington has a chance to draft one of those two quarterbacks, it becomes an easy decision.
"If you believe you have a shot at a Caleb Williams or a Drake Maye," Spielman said, "and those are the guys that you believe will get you to the Super Bowl, then I don't know if you can pass on them regardless of how you feel about [Howell]."