The group who believe the Washington Commanders will move forward with Sam Howell as the team’s starting quarterback is dwindling down to near zero.
While the amount of people who feel the Commanders should stick with Howell is still larger than most realize, there isn’t a whole lot of actual belief behind the desire.
Instead, most believe Washington will likely do what it failed to do in 2020 when the team passed on quarterback Justin Herbert and drafted defensive end Chase Young with the No. 2 pick.
Who that quarterback is, however, is also up for debate. The latest speculation into that conversation – this time coming from The Athletic – has the Commanders taking North Carolina’s Drake Maye to replace good friend and former teammate Howell.
“Jayden Daniels would not surprise me at No. 2 either but I’m predicting the North Carolina star for now,” The Athletic says. “If the Vikings lose Cousins and were willing to trade up from No. 11 to No. 2 or No. 3, I like them as a destination, too, especially since new quarterbacks coach Josh McCown actually coached Maye in high school. But Maye is a perfect quarterback for the new regime in Washington to build around. (Dane) Brugler compared him to Justin Herbert.
Since entering the league Herbert has led the Los Angeles Chargers to two winning seasons in four years while throwing for over 17,000 yards and no fewer than 20 touchdowns per season while not exceeding 15 interceptions in a single campaign.
Young, on the other hand, had 14 sacks in three and a half years with the Commanders before being traded mid-season to the San Francisco 49ers where he had 2.5 more and made his first appearance in the Super Bowl.
Expected to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason Young will likely play for his third team in two years next season while Washington may look to correct the mistake several perceive it making five years ago this April.
