The Vikings have found their backup QB for 2025
After taking Jalen Milroe during the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday, the quarterback room in Seattle was starting to get a little crowded, so the Seahawks fixed that problem on Saturday by dealing away Sam Howell to the Minnesota Vikings, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones has reported.
The Vikings will be getting Howell along with a fifth-round pick (172 overall) while the Seahawks landed the 142nd overall pick from Minnesota.
Let’s grade the trade:
Seahawks: A-
With Sam Darnold, Drew Lock and Milroe on the roster, Howell basically became the odd man out in Seattle’s quarterback room. The Seahawks signed Darnold to be the starter and then they signed Lock in mid-April to serve as the backup to Darnold in 2025. After drafting Milroe, it became pretty apparent that Howell probably wasn’t going to last much longer in Seattle.
Instead of releasing Howell, the Seahawks were able to get some draft compensation for him. They moved up 30 spots in the fifth round to select defensive lineman Rylie Mills out of Notre Dame. Mills might not be a starter in 2025, but Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald was clearly eyeing him, which would explain why Seattle made the trade up to get him.
Vikings: A-
The Vikings were in the market for a veteran quarterback this offseason and they finally got one by trading for Howell. J.J. McCarty is expected to be the starter in Minnesota, but the only other QB on the roster going into the draft was Brett Rypien, so the Vikings were looking for an established backup, and they’ll get that in Howell, who has starting experience in the NFL.
Howell started 17 games for the Commanders in 2023 and led the NFL in pass attempts in 612. However, he also led the NFL in interceptions during a season where Washington went 4-13. The Vikings flirted with Aaron Rodgers to be the possible starter in Minnesota, but that’s not the case here. Howell’s role will be as the back up QB and the Vikings barely had to give up a draft pick to get him. To make the deal happen, they simply moved 30 spots back in the fifth round.
This seems like one of the rare deals where both teams won by getting what they wanted.
