UNC Football: Should the Commanders start Sam Howell?

With the news of Carson Wentz’s injury, should the Commanders look to start the former UNC football product?

Not much has gone right for the Washington Commanders this season.

The Commanders are in the cellar of the NFC East and sit at an abysmal 2-4. The offense has struggled, the defense is one of the worst in the league, and it seems Head Coach Ron Rivera will soon be on his way out.

Things got even worse for Washington on Saturday, when it was announced starting quarterback Carson Wentz would miss time with a broken finger.

Although it’s still early in the NFL season, the commanders find themselves in a very difficult situation. As each week goes on, it’s looking less and less likely we’ll see Washington in the postseason.

With nothing to lose, should the Commanders take a shot and let former UNC football quarterback Sam Howell run the offense?

There is a strong argument for both sides.

Howell will have to compete with Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke, most notable for his playoff performance against Tampa Bay in 2021, has more experience than Howell and would be the “safer” pick at quarterback.

But as I mentioned earlier, Washington has nothing to lose. Why not take a risk and start Sam Howell?

In college, Howell was a superstar. In three years at North Carolina, Howell threw for over 10,283 passing yards and 92 touchdowns. At one point, Howell was a projected top 5 pick.

Howell looked good in the preseason too. Regularly, the former Tar Heel standout made big-time throws and showed flashes of his potential.

This was especially evident in Washington’s preseason finale vs. Baltimore when Howell finished with over 300 total yards and a touchdown pass.

Starting Howell can only benefit Washington. If he struggles, the Commanders can move on from the UNC product and bring someone else in the following year.

However, if Howell can perform, Washington may have their franchise quarterback.

In this situation, the reward heavily outweighs the risk. For a team that’s been struggling all year, why not roll the dice on Sam Howell?

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