The Minnesota Vikings have approached free agency in a very calculated way over the last few weeks.
Not only did they add multiple high-end players in the trenches on both sides of the football, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also did a great job in preserving the high-end compensatory draft picks they are projected to get.
After making a bevy of moves, there is still one move they need to make: backup quarterback.
Sam Howell could be the next Vikings backup QB
On Friday, we saw the backup quarterback pool dwindle significantly with the Cleveland Browns re-signing Joe Flacco and the Seattle Seahawks signing Drew Lock after he spent a season with the New York Giants. It wasn't much of a surprise from the Browns with Deshaun Watson likely to miss the entire season, but it was the Seahawks who surprised us.
Lock going back to Seattle is a surprise, especially since they chose to move on from him after the 2023 season. Now, Lock did have a path to getting on the field in New York, which he did. It also speaks to what the regime thinks of the current backup quarterback Sam Howell.
Last off-season, the Seahawks acquired Howell from the Washington Commanders for a pick swap. They acquired third and fifth-round picks in exchange for fourth and sixth-round picks. Howell did get on the field against the Green Bay Packers, and he was not very good, leading to a Seahawks loss, and that game was a key reason why they missed the playoffs.
With Lock back in the fold and Howell not having any guaranteed money left on his contract, he could end up either being traded with a pick swap on day three or just released. The Vikings could show interest in Howell with his gunslinger mentality, something that head coach Kevin O'Connell could harness. He could be the Vikings' next Nick Mullens.
Bleacher Report's scouting report on Howell highlights multiple positives and negatives about him as a passer, especially with .
Sam Howell is a tough quarterback with a good, strong build but below-average height for the position. He throws a very catchable deep ball and is able to get distance while also consistently getting a high arc on deep throws. Howell has good overall arm strength and flashes the ability to drive the ball when in rhythm on shorter and intermediate throws.
Being in rhythm is important for Howell. His footwork is inconsistent, which causes balls to spray, or he will take an extra bounce at the end of his dropback that makes him late on more timing-based throws. Howell will also attempt to work deep in his dropbacks to give himself more room to see his routes develop, attempting to compensate for his height. And while he has enough arm strength to make the throws, he has a longer, over-the-top throwing motion that will give him even less room for error in the NFL against better and faster defenders.
That sounds appealing, but he took a league-high 65 sacks when he started 17 games for the Commanders in 2023. That's been a big issue for him throughout his career. It's something that O'Connell has found a way to maneuver around, though, as Sam Darnold held the ball for a long period of time.
It's far from a guarantee that Howell will be the next Vikings' backup quarterback, but there is a pathway to making it happen.
