The Minnesota Vikings have added another quarterback with starting experience, landing former Washington Commanders starter Sam Howell in a trade.
The Vikings traded the No. 142 overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks. In return, the Vikings acquired pick No. 172 and Howell. He was the No. 144 overall pick in 2022. He joins a QB room presumably led by 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy and including journeyman Brett Rypien.
“Thank you God!” Howell posted on X on April 26. “Let’s go @Vikings.”
Howell is 5-13 as a starter, throwing for 4,115 yards, 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
“In his one season as an NFL starter, Sam Howell had the kind of year that requires a trip to the Vikings’ School of QB Restoration,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert posted on X on April 25. “He led the league with 612 attempts, threw a league-high 21 INTs and took a league-high 65 (!) sacks. Washington did him no favors that year.”
The newest Vikings QB, Howell, spent the 2024 season backing up Geno Smith after his trade from the Commanders. He completed 35.7% of his 14 pass attempts for 23 yards and 1 INT in relief.
Vikings Exec Lauds Sam Howell Trade as Rare Opportunity
The Seahawks acquired Howell in a trade package with fourth and sixth-round picks from the Commanders for selections in the third and fifth rounds. If nothing else, the Vikings executed the cleaner trade for the beleaguered quarterback.
However, Vikings personnel director Ryan Grigson touted the value they are getting in the trade.
“It’s an opportunity that is not usually that easy to come by when you have that type of youth and that type of experience,” Grigson said, per Seifert on April 26.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has expressed confidence in McCarthy. He also said the QB is without limitation heading into the offseason program. The Vikings need a contingency plan, though, after McCarthy missed his rookie season with a torn meniscus.
They have passed on adding several proven options.
The Vikings spoke with Aaron Rodgers, were linked to Joe Flacco before making the trade. They also have ties to Ryan Tannehill through McCarthy. Value worked in Howell’s favor.
Sam Howell’s Pre-Draft Outlook Rings True
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Howell to Chase Daniel. Daniel had a stellar career at Missouri before becoming a career backup as a pro. Zierlein’s assessment of Howell rings true after three seasons.
“He’s not a classic full-field reader at this point but has pocket poise and mobility to potentially develop in that area in the future, Zierlein wrote in 2022,” Zierlein wrote in 2022. “Howell doesn’t throw with nearly enough timing or ball placement, which forces wideouts into the boundaries or to break stride, limiting their YAC potential.
“Howell isn’t wired for or suited to a ball-control passing attack and might need a vertical passing scheme capable of creating explosive plays in order to succeed.”
“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,” Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department wrote in April 2022.
“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.”
O’Connell turned former draft bust Sam Darnold into a Pro Bowler with one offseason. That could bode well for Howell’s chances of succeeding if called upon by the Vikings.
