Former NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett signed a $10 million contract with the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, March 15. A player who threw for over 5,000 yards and 42 touchdowns in his two collegiate seasons has found his new home for at least one year.
This signing makes Brissett a part of five different NFL teams’ rosters in eight years, making him somewhat of a journeyman QB since he entered the league. After being drafted by the New England Patriots and traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he stayed for four seasons, Brissett has bounced around to the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns in recent years.
Brissett has served as a backup starter QB for most of the teams he has signed with but still managed to collect 48 starts. Not too bad for a third-round draft pick nobody thought super highly of.
It was a welcome surprise to many to see Brissett sign with the Commanders in free agency as many thought former Tar Heel QB Sam Howell would start day one since Taylor Heinicke and Carson Wentz, both starting multiple games for Washington last year, left the team this spring.
General Manager Martin Mayhew said that “Sam [Howell] will have every opportunity to win that starting job,” implying Howell still needed to prove himself even before Brissett signed with the team. Was Brissett brought in because the Commanders’ coaching staff lack faith in Howell to win them games? Maybe they would like some veteran leadership at the most important position in football?
In four seasons in the NFL where Brissett threw over 200 times, he never had a QB rating lower than 78, proving himself to be a solid option for any team who might need a quarterback. Brissett has never been looked at as a permanent starter for any team he has been on because most have seen him as a guy for a team that is not quite ready to compete for a Super Bowl.
In a strong NFC East division where all four teams finished .500 or above, a feat none of the other seven divisions could accomplish, the Commanders have slim playoff hopes going forward. Washington’s signing was interesting considering many thought they weren’t going to go in this direction.
Brissett doesn’t have the X-factor that many teams look for in a quarterback these days. He can run but isn’t super shifty and his arm strength is middle of the pack, along with his accuracy. Brissett might get his new squad one or two more wins but for as solid a team as the Commanders had last year, his impact won’t be that high.
So what is Brissett in Washington for? Nobody seems to know. The starting quarterback position is up for grabs between Howell and Brissett and most likely we won’t know who it is till week one.
If you sign a guy like Brissett in free agency you are planning on starting him at least for the first game. There are plenty of worse quarterbacks out there that could teach Howell a thing or two about starting in the NFL without being a serious threat to take his job like Brissett is. After just starting one game in his rookie season last year, it seems to be that the Commanders don’t want to put all their eggs in one basket.
With the likes of Tom Brady retiring and Aaron Rodgers likely moving to the Jets in the AFC, the NFC looks to be the weakest it has been in a very long time with any playoff spot up for grabs. I think the Commanders know this as well and believe they can find themselves in a playoff spot come January despite the tough division.
The former Pack QB knows how to lead an underdog team and maximize the talent around him so it will be interesting to see what he can do in one year with the Commanders and if Howell will spoil the party by taking that starting job.
