The Washington Commanders are wrapping up the preseason with a road trip to Baltimore to take on the Raven this Saturday, and it is a big opportunity for rookie quarterback Sam Howell. 

Howell, Washington's fifth-round pick, played in 61 combined snaps against the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs. All of them came in the second half, but with Carson Wentz likely not playing at all and Taylor Heinicke getting just a few series, Howell should get a much larger chunk of playing time in the preseason finale. 

Coach Ron Rivera is hoping to see Howell take advantage of that. 

"I'd like to see him continue with his preparation, the way he's paid attention, and the way he's getting into things," 

Howell's development is a project that will take time to complete, but he has shown some talent in his time under center. He completed 56% of his passes for 267 yards in the previous preseason games, and he nearly brought his team back from double-digit deficits in both contests. 

Against the Ravens, the Commanders will have more of a game plan to give their younger players a taste of what a normal week is like during the regular season. They have two games worth of film that they can watch to formulate a scheme that will put themselves in the best position to upend a Ravens team that has won 22 straight preseason games. 

Howell has done a good job of absorbing information so far, but he will have the chance to show how much he has learned this weekend. 

"It is probably part of his habits anyway," Rivera said. "But this will be a good chance for him to kind of show us that he knows how to do it." 

Will Wentz as the starter and Heinicke firmly situated as the backup, Howell is set up to use this season as a time to grow and develop, barring drastic injuries. Saturday may be the last time we see Howell in a game scenario for a while, so the hope is that he will make the most of his snaps and lay a good foundation for the next steps in his career.

Here's a morning roundup of what the local and national media have to say about the Washington Commanders on Friday, August 26, 2022. All reports, rumors and conjecture are a reflection of the media conversation and are not endorsed or confirmed by the Washington Commanders.

The reports and deals expressed in this article have not been confirmed by Washington, nor do they reflect any insider information from anyone in the front office.

• The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala writes about Jeff Zgonina's passion for dog shows.
• The Washington Post's Sam Fortier writes that for some players, the final preseason game is like the Super Bowl.
• The Washington Time's Matthew Paras writes about the Ravens' preseason record.
• The Washington Time's Matthew Paras also writes about Commanders players on the roster bubble.
• NBC Sports Washington's Ethan Cadeaux writes about Commanders players being confident ahead of the final preseason game.
• NBC Sports Washington's Bijan Todd writes about Antonio Gibson as the Commanders' kickoff returner.
• The Athletic's Ben Standig looks at some of the positions with players hoping to make the roster.
• NBC Sports Washington's Ethan Cadeaux writes about the return of OG Wes Martin.
• NBC Sports Washington's Ethan Cadeaux also writes that the Commanders' starters will play "very limited" in the third preseason game.
• The Washington Post's Sam Fortier writes about the friendly locker room golf competition among the quarterbacks.
• The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala writes that Darrick Forrest is ready to "boom every time."
• The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala and Sam Fortier report on the news about Chase Young being placed on the Reserve/PUP list.
• NBC Sports Washington's Pete Hailey writes about Camaron Cheeseman making the second-yard leap.
• NBC Sports Washington's Pete Hailey also writes about the Ravens' win streak not being a priority for the Commanders.
• The Washington Time's Matthew Paras writes about Ron Rivera wanting the defensive line to step up.
• The Washington Post's Sam Fortier writes about the return of Logan Thomas.
• The Athletic's Dan Pompei writes about the transformational quality of Terry McLaurin.

Check Out What's On Commanders.com:

• Hail Mail | Looking at Dax Milne's punt return ability and Jeff Zgonina's combine metrics
• Practice report | Commanders wrap preparations for final preseason game
• Practice report | Logan Thomas hits another milestone, participates in 7-on-7 drills
• 'A dream come true': Casey Toohill takes advantage of chances to learn from Ryan Kerrigan
• Practice report | players begin final push to make 53-man roster
• From the booth | Putting the preseason into perspective
• Washington Commanders to retire Sonny Jurgensen's jersey against Dallas Cowboys in Week 18
• Logan Thomas looks forward to full contact, building chemistry with Carson Wentz
• Practice report | Logan Thomas takes next step in recovery
• 5 takeaways from Washington's preseason loss to Kansas City.
• Numbers to know from Washington's second preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs
• Media roundup | Rivera wants defense to be 'more disciplined' on third-down defense
• Instant Analysis | Commanders fall to 0-2 in 'dress rehearsal' game against the Chiefs
• 3 standouts from Week 4 of Commanders training camp
• 3 keys for Washington's preseason game against the Chiefs
• J.D. McKissic stays steady in Commanders' packed RB room
• Training Camp Notebook | Diving into Jahan Dotson, Antonio Gibson's possible roles on special teams
• Media roundup | Nate Kaczor breaks down kick return duties
• Training Camp Notebook | Rivera dives deeper into Commanders' DE Depth
• Hail Mail | Weighing Washington's options at WR
• From the booth | We all needed to see something