Commanders QB Sam Howell responds to doubters amid competition

Young Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell shared a message for doubters amid his battle with teammate Jacoby Brissett for the starting job. 

"I know some people might think it's crazy, just because of how the draft went and I hardly played at all last year, but for me, it doesn't really change anything for me," Howell told reporters on Wednesday, as shared by Eric Edholm of the NFL's website. "I know the type of player that I can be in this league, and I feel like I've worked very hard and put myself in this position to go out there and succeed. So I (couldn't) really care less about what other people say. It's really about what I hear in this building and what I hear internally."

Howell entered the league as a 2022 fifth-round draft pick and spent the majority of his rookie season sitting behind Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke. The 22-year-old started Washington's Week 18 clash versus the division-rival Dallas Cowboys and completed 11-of-19 passes (57.9%) for 169 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 26-6 victory. 

Last month, Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson essentially named Howell the team's QB1 for the Week 1 home game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 10. While it was reported Howell ended mandatory minicamp with a "significant" lead over Brissett in the quarterback competition, it was later said that the Commanders are "definitely not all-in" on putting the second-year pro atop the depth chart before he earns it. 

Both Howell and Brissett should receive opportunities to impress during Washington's preseason opener at the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 11.

"It's definitely a blessing for me to be in this opportunity I'm in, and it's definitely not something that I take for granted," Howell added during his comments. "But at the same time, I think there's a lot of work still to be done. I'm not complacent at all, I know still everything is ahead of me and I've got to go out there and earn it and prove it each and every day, so I'm going to continue to do that."

The Commanders allegedly never considered making a move for Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson when Jackson's rights were retained via the non-exclusive franchise tag, in part because Washington head coach Ron Rivera and others associated with the franchise strongly believe in Howell. That reality could place more pressure on Howell's shoulders as he looks to silence critics during the second preseason of his pro career.