Commanders’ Sam Howell and remembering Heath Shuler’s time

Sam Howell is already off to a much better start than some Washington quarterbacks in the past.

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Yes, it is only OTAs, but Sam Howell is looking better than some previously have in Burgundy and Gold.

When Howell is complimented, you don’t want to get carried away, but at the same time, we know there have been times Washington quarterbacks have left coaches and players concerned very early in the process.

When Washington was getting adjusted to the new salary cap in 1994, Heath Shuler’s agent and the Redskins took too long getting the Shuler’s deal done. To further the mess, lawyers got involved, debating over the salary cap. But some big names had no idea, simplistically labeling Shuler a holdout.

Shuler missed the beginning of training camp, and when he reported to camp Michael Wilbon infamously said that Shuler better be John Elway. Frankly, Wilbon, in those days, made his shtick openly rooting for the Bears, poking at the Redskins fans when he could. It got under their ‘skin,’ and Wilbon knew it. The irony was his Bears didn’t have great quarterback play for decades, and Joe Gibbs had won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks.

It didn’t take long for word to get out. The coaches and players could see that the guy the Redskins drafted in the 7th round (197th) that season was better than the guy drafted 3rd overall in the draft. Gus Frerotte indeed looked better in training camp. There was no social media in 1994, but word was traveling.

Word travels nowadays with lightning speed from OTAs and training camp. The word last year early was Carson Wentz could look good at times, but other times was erratic.

The prevailing reaction to Sam Howell, beginning last week, is he is up and down but not as down as both Taylor Heinicke and Carson Wentz were at times.

Perhaps Sam Howell’s floor is higher than both Heinicke and Wentz, who at times, struggled to find open receivers last season. But of course, it is early, and the team is not yet working in pads.

However, isn’t it encouraging to hear Rivera express that Howell is already displaying some confidence in his knowledge of the new system being installed by new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy?

Hopefully, this young quarterback won’t experience some unfair media member declaring that Howell needs to be Patrick Mahomes.