Joe Theismann, a guest Monday on the Al Galdi Podcast, was asked to comment on the current state of the Washington Commanders quarterback room.
“Well, I don’t think Carson Wentz will be back. I think Taylor (Heinicke) was in the last year of his contract, so you have Sam Howell as the last man standing.”
“I thought he (Howell) performed well, but it is hard to evaluate someone on 20 passes. And the Cowboy game was a difficult game to evaluate anyway because they were so bad (on offense), and we were so good on the defensive side.”
“I think, foundationally he is really good. Now the question is, what is it going to be like playing in five to ten to fifteen games? The durability, being smart enough to be able to stay on the field.”
“I tell young quarterbacks all of the time, “Your single job is to make yourself available to be able to play and practice so you can get better.”
“I like everything about Sam, and I am curious. Certainly, I believe we have the team around him; the wide receivers, the running backs. The offensive line, we can find areas that can improve and get better.”
“Defensively, I thought we finished really strongly, and our punter is the best in football. That (quarterback) is the one element this team has really been missing. Sam can be the beginning.”
“I would love to see somebody play quarterback in Washington for more than a year or two. I think we all would and are looking for that next person. They have had 43 starting quarterbacks since I got hurt (in 1985). Are you kidding me? It’s crazy! It’s time for somebody to take the job and go with it. Stay a while.”
Why did it not work out for Carson Wentz at quarterback?
“I don’t know. I do know mechanically; he struggled at times. After he became hurt, he just became a different quarterback. He did a decent job in Indianapolis. Not playing, not getting into a rhythm is difficult.”
“I thought Taylor would have had a better record had the refs not screwed us in the Giants game…If we win that game, Taylor still stays the quarterback. After Carson had been off so long, and you put him back out on the field? I think he should have come out of the game after his second interception. You could see at that point it wasn’t comfortable for him. ”
“But I don’t know what happened, but I do know the economics won’t work. So I would be very surprised if he is back.”
