Candidates for the Commanders’ offensive coordinator vacancy are being told that Sam Howell is Washington’s starting quarterback entering the offseason, CBS Sports reported Saturday.

A fifth-round draft pick, Howell started the final game of his rookie season and completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 26-6 win against the playoff-bound Dallas Cowboys.

The Commanders, who alternated quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke for the first 16 games, let go of offensive coordinator Scott Turner after finishing the season at 8-8-1.

Reports of Howell’s QB1 status indicate Washington won’t look for another veteran in free agency or perhaps use its No. 16 pick in the draft on a signal-caller.

Howell, 22, was inactive for nine games and did not play in the other seven games in which he was active in 2022.

The Commanders are expected to release Wentz before the league year begins in March. They acquired him from the Indianapolis Colts in an offseason trade and he finished 2-5 as the starter with 11 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.

Heinicke took over when Wentz got hurt and compiled a 5-3-1 record, completing 62.2 percent of his passes for a team-high 1,859 yards with 12 TDs and six picks.

Former Detroit Lions and Colts head coach Jim Caldwell reportedly turned down an interview request for the OC position in Washington.

–Field Level Media