Will the Washington Commanders keep three quarterbacks in 2025? If they do, they’ve found their guy.
In Friday’s preseason loss to the New England Patriots, Sam Hartman started and played the first half. Hartman didn’t have a lot of help, as his receivers, including veteran Chris Moore, dropped passes. Hartman also didn’t help himself with an interception.
Veteran Josh Johnson, the 39-year-old who is the most traveled player in NFL history, played well in the second half. Well enough, that if Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota were both to go down, the Commanders could trust him to run the offense. Sure, Johnson isn’t going to run it at the same level as Daniels or Mariota. Still, he’s a serviceable veteran who can operate in the confines of any offensive scheme and has the athleticism to keep a similar playbook.
Hartman, a 2024 undrafted free agent, underwent offseason shoulder surgery, per offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. When asked about Hartman’s training camp thus far, Kingsbury called it “up and down.” Wonder what Kingsbury thought of Hartman’s start against the Patriots?
Last season, Washington kept three quarterbacks. Veteran Jeff Driskel was No. 3 behind Daniels and Mariota. Thankfully, the Commanders didn’t need him. But with Mariota missing time in training camp, would Washington want to keep a third quarterback as potential insurance? And, if so, wouldn’t they want a capable veteran backup?
That’s Johnson.
The Commanders would prefer to keep two quarterbacks and use the extra roster spot somewhere else, perhaps on the offensive and defensive lines, where depth is constantly tested. While Mariota’s injury isn’t considered a long-term issue, it is something worth monitoring. Washington kept three quarterbacks last season because Daniels was a rookie.
If there is an actual competition for the No. 3 quarterback spot, Johnson clinched it on Friday, and likely before. That doesn’t mean the Commanders don’t want to keep Hartman and continue to develop him. He spent last season on the practice squad and could be there again in 2025. The good news for Hartman is that two preseason games remain.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Will Commanders keep 3 quarterbacks? If so, the competition is over