Five questions for the Washington Commanders in 2023

Next up is the Washington Commanders who were the only team in the NFC East that did not make the 2022 NFL Playoffs. They ended the season with a lot of questions and yet again will enter with more questions.

1. Do the Commanders really believe that Sam Howell is the guy at QB?

Last season was a predictable disaster the moment that they acquired Carson Wentz via trade. It did not work out and the Commanders made the move to part ways with him.

With Taylor Heinicke also departing this has led many and the coaching staff to point to Sam Howell getting the opportunity to start, which is a good idea as he showed promise in Week 18. I mean it was against mostly backup Cowboys players, but he still showed flashes in that game. 

I fully expect to see Howell start games, but this got me thinking a bit. My question is simple, if the Commanders truly believe that Sam Howell is the guy at quarterback, then why did they call every single team in the NFL to ask if their quarterback was available via trade? Heck, the Commanders even asked Andrew Luck if he was willing to come out of retirement to play with the team at one point.

Now they did sign Jacoby Brissett who is a very serviceable and dependable option at quarterback. However with Howell being younger, the Commanders would definitely want to see him have more starts next season.

I am a Sam Howell guy and still believe that there is a ton of potential in him, but a lot of signs point to the Commanders joining the tank for Caleb camp next season. But this is a make or break season for a lot involved with team, especially with Ron Rivera on the hot seat.

2. Is Eric Bieniemy is final piece to the offensive puzzle for the Commanders?

The Commanders have the key pieces on offense they need to be in a place to compete, with solid weapons in WR Terry McLaurin, WR Jahan Dotson, WR Curtis Samuel, RB Antonio Gibson, RB Brian Robinson, and etc. However, two things held them back last season: the quarterback position, and their offensive coaching.

Ron Rivera is under pressure and I’m shocked that he’s still employed as their head coach, but the Commanders made a change at offensive coordinator as they parted ways with Scott Turner. 

When multiple players partners (Logan Thomas’s wife especially) are coming after a coach and openly criticizing how the team is run, it might be best to make a change, which luckily the Commanders did.

With Scott Turner out, the Commanders made the move to hire Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator. Which is a massive upgrade as Bieniemy did a great job as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. It will be interesting to see if he can replicate his work in Washington.

After all coaching matters, so much in this league and if he is the final piece, maybe he could be promoted/hired as the head coach. 

3. The offensive line has improved but who will be the starter at center?

The Commanders made some solid moves on the O-Line, notably signing Andrew Wylie to a contract. They brought in some solid guards too, but the one question mark is at center. There are three options here for the Commanders to choose from: Nick Gates, Ricky Stromberg, and Tyler Larsen.

Nick Gates was given a three-year extension during the offseason, and Ricky Stromberg comes in after the Commanders used a third round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to bring him in. Both seem to be the big favorites, but Tyler Larsen to me has to be included as having the potential to get the starting role.

While he does not have the contract advantage Gates has and the draft capital of Stromberg, what Larsen has is connections, especially having worked with head coach Ron Rivera when they were both at the Carolina Panthers. 

It will be intriguing to see who will win this role and I am going to keep an eye on it during training camp and the preseason. I really think that the Commanders offensive line is in a much better place than it was last season.

4. Do the Commanders have a dependable option at Tight End?

I would say yes and show clips of Logan Thomas is the primary option for Washington, but I have two concerns. First is that Thomas has had durability concerns with his ribs and calf in recent years, and second is that Thomas has been mentioned as a cap casualty as the Commanders can save $6.9 million from cutting him.

Elsewhere, John Bates did not impress last season either. The Commanders also just lost Armani Rogers for the season due to a torn achilles as well.

There is still a lot of uncertainty with the tight end position on this team, and many feel the the Commanders don’t truly have a dependable option on there squad. Hopefully, someone will stand out in Training Camp.

5. How and when will new ownership start to impact the Commanders?

I have been very vocal in being against Dan Snyder and with good reason. His ownership of the team has been one of the worst not only in Washington sporting history, but in the entire NFL.

The stuff he allowed in to happen is so insane that it puts him in the category of Hugh Culverhouse (Former Owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Harold Ballard (Former Owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs) level of awful ownership. It is welcome news that this deal is going to get finalized and while he will win by netting around $6 billion, it is really positive news for such a big franchise. 

It is still up in the air as to when the new ownership group will start to get to work and what sort of impact this will have. Knowing how Josh Harris also owns the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers,  and many more sports teams through the Harris Blitzar Sports & Entertainment LLC, I think he and the other investors should do a great job running the team.