Tag: QB Heath Shuler

How similar are the Commanders teams of 1994 and 2024?

There are some striking similarities, but one major difference.

The parallels are striking.

The Washington Redskins finished a terrible 4-12 in 1993, fired their head coach Richie Petitbon, hired a new head coach in Norv Turner, owned the third selection in the 1994 NFL draft, and then used it to choose a mobile SEC quarterback out of Tennessee, Heath Shuler.

Fast-forward exactly 30 years, and the Commanders (I still don’t like the name) were horrible, finishing 4-13. So they fired their head coach, Ron Rivera, and hired a new head coach, Dan Quinn.

This team had the second overall selection in the NFL draft and also went to the SEC for a mobile quarterback, drafting LSU Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.

If that is not enough for you, both quarterbacks were known for their mobility in college, and yes, both would wear jersey number 5 for Washington.

But that is where the similarities come to an end, an abrupt end.

Shuler held out, was late coming to training camp, didn’t know the offense, and immediately demonstrated to some veterans in his first workouts that he couldn’t play in the pocket in the NFL.

Daniels did not miss a workout in the offseason. He has already demonstrated that he can pass the football while in the pocket. He goes to bed early, gets up early, and gets to work early to lead an NFL football team.

Daniels has already signed up for four years and last week replied to a reporter that he is not an NFL star quarterback, saying he is a rookie and hasn’t accomplished anything yet in the NFL.

Don’t you just love the sound of a young man who has his feet planted firmly on the ground?

Shuler’s rookie 1994 season saw him only complete 45 percent of his passing attempts, for 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and he won only one of his eight starts.

Yes, there are several similarities, but the differences?

The differences are substantial. Those differences assure Commanders fans that Jayden Daniels is no Heath Shuler.

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.