The Commanders have been getting 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell ready to begin the season as the team’s starting quarterback since the spring.
But veteran QB Jacoby Brissett is also on the roster and the team wants to make sure he has a rapport with the first-team offense just in case he needs to play.
To that end, Brissett got some reps with the starting offense during Monday’s practice. Head coach Ron Rivera indicated that was part of the plan and not a reflection of anything with Howell. After discussing it with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and QBs coach Tavita Pritchard, Rivera said the group figured Monday would be a good time to give Brissett some run.
“At some point, [Brissett is] going to have to work with [the offensive starters], just so he gets to know them and they get to know him,” Rivera said in his Monday press conference. “So, we went ahead and gave him the last couple in each period.”
Because Brissett has been in the league since 2016 and has 48 career starts, Rivera feels like the quarterback doesn’t need much time to get used to the system and players around him.
“Jacoby is a veteran guy and him getting acclimated happens a lot quicker than younger guys, obviously,” Rivera said. “And that’s one of the things that I think bodes well for a guy like Jacoby being a part of your quarterback room. He doesn’t need the total number that we’ve been trying to get Sam at.”
And since the Commanders have given Howell plenty of reps throughout the spring and summer, Brissett taking a couple of them shouldn’t negatively affect the young signal-caller.
“I think the biggest thing is with the OTAs and minicamps that we’ve had, everybody’s gotten an opportunity to get a lot of reps,” Rivera said.
While Rivera hasn’t officially announced it, all indications have been that Howell will be Washington’s starting QB to begin the season. But if anything happens, the Commanders do have a reliable backup option in Brissett who has proven he can be a viable starter.
