Desmond Ridder and Commanders starter Sam Howell are each members of last year's relatively unheralded quarterback class that has become significantly more intriguing than analysts projected at the time.
Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell speaking to members of the media after an NFL football game, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, in Landover, Md. Chicago won 40-20. Last week, the second-year Atlanta Falcons quarterback threw for a career-high 329 yards in a win over the Houston Texans.
Last year’s draft was downgraded at the time by experts who cited a lack of top-tier quarterback prospects. And NFL teams agreed: Only one quarterback — Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett — was drafted in the first round, marking the first time that had happened since 2013. But the teams that gave those quarterbacks a chance to watch and learn seem to be reaping dividends now.
Of the four starters, Howell had to wait the longest to see the field. The 23-year-old didn’t make his debut until Week 18 of last season. But looking back on the experience, Howell said there were benefits to seeing what game weeks were like and what defenses like to do in the NFL. Learning those aspects of the league, Howell said, was helpful rather than having to learn it on the fly.
Ridder and Howell have each had up-and-down starts to 2023. The Falcons deploy a run-centric offense, and when Atlanta has asked Ridder to throw, the results haven’t always been satisfying. Howell, by contrast, has impressed with his accuracy and poise, but his habit of taking sacks — 29 through five games — has him on pace to break the league’s all-time record for most in a season .
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