Jacoby Brissett signs with Commanders, adds QB depth

“Sam will have every opportunity to win this starting job,” said general manager Martin Mayhew at the NFL Combine. “Was very impressed with the way he played and trained last year. Obviously a very small sample – he’s only played in one game – but we’ve seen him all offseason. We need to see him throughout the training camp, every week in training. I think he has the skills to be a starting XI in this league.”

During Ron Rivera’s tenure as coach, the captains redesigned the quarterbacks’ room annually. Their most experienced “starter” since 2020 was backup Taylor Heinicke, who on Tuesday agreed to a two-year deal with the Falcons worth up to $20 million.

Commanders move on in QB after Taylor Heinicke agreed to deal with the Falcons

Now, as Washington gears up for a new offensive led by coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Howell, Brissett and Jake Fromm are moving forward. The team could also pick a rookie in the upcoming draft.

Brissett was a third-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2016 and played for the Cleveland Browns last season. He started the first 11 games while Deshaun Watson was suspended and led the Browns to a 4-7 record. During the season, he completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions for an 88.9 passer rating. He also had 243 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Brissett spent 2021 with the Miami Dolphins after a four-year stint in Indianapolis. The Colts acquired him in a 2017 trade with New England that saw Brissett third string behind Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo. Andrew Luck had undergone off-season shoulder surgery and the Colts needed insurance. Brissett started in 15 of 16 games that season and played in four as Luck’s backup the following year.

When Luck abruptly retired just weeks before the 2019 opener, Brissett was restored to a starting role and led the Colts to a 7-8 record in 15 starts. He resumed his backup role when the Colts signed Philip Rivers the next season.

Brissett’s experience as a No. 2 and as a backup fits what Washington has been looking for this offseason.

Daron Payne agrees to four-year, $90 million deal with Commanders

“I think it’s important to have someone with some experience on the field,” Mayhew said. “I think it’s also important to have someone who understands our scheme, who can learn our scheme and has the ability to be a different kind of coach on the sidelines [Howell]. A guy who can support him and… be a kind of sounding board for him. I think that really helped Pat Mahomes play out there behind Alex Smith. I think playing behind Brett Favre probably helped Aaron Rodgers.”

Washington wanted to keep the cost of the position minimal and give Howell an experienced mentor. This allowed the team to further fill out their roster and keep some of their key players. Earlier this week, the commanders re-signed Daron Payne to a four-year, $90 million contract and added offensive support.