From the moment the Green Bay Packers defeated the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, the Washington Commanders were moving on to 2023.
As a result of their embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, the Commanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention once the Packers took care of the Vikings. What a difference a month makes. On Nov. 27, the Commanders were 7-5 and sitting pretty in the NFC playoff race.
Now it’s about evaluating some young players as the Commanders look to 2023. Chief among those evaluations is rookie quarterback Sam Howell. After initially planning to start Taylor Heinicke at quarterback in the Week 18 finale against the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Ron Rivera changed his mind after speaking with players, including Heinicke, and turned to Howell.
By looking at Washington’s injury report this week, Rivera is planning to evaluate much more than Howell.
We’ve picked five Commanders to watch in the season finale who could play an increased role in 2023.