Seahawks Trade For Commanders QB Sam Howell; Geno Smith's Future in Doubt?
The Seattle Seahawks traded to acquire Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell on Thursday in one of the more interesting moves of the day.
With Howell arriving in the NFC West, he will serve as Geno Smith’s backup for the 2024 season. However, the trade now begs the question: what does this mean for Smith's future?
Geno's future beyond 2024 was already as clear as muddy water, and that remains the same with Howell's arrival. Add on to the fact that our own Corbin Smith's detailed general manager John Schneider's liking of Howell back in the 2022 NFL Draft, in which he was "smitten" with the Commanders quarterback, and the move becomes one that feels like more than just a backup QB trade.
Last season was Howell's first year as an NFL starter, and while he showed glimpses of his talent, he often ran for his life. The Commanders' offensive line struggled to protect him, as he was sacked 65 times, the second-most in the NFL.
Howell's 3,946 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions, along with a 4-13 record, don't make for good reading, but given the circumstances surrounding last season in Washington, he did the best he could.
Now, let's assess Howell's ability with this Seattle offense.
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With a better run game thanks to Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, coupled with a better receiver group in D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tyler Lockett (assuming he plays beyond 2024), Howell could feasibly fit into Ryan Grubb's offense and do some good things.
So does Howell's signing impact Smith's future beyond next season? If the Seahawks choose to make him a post-June 1 cut in the 2024 offseason, Seattle will get $25 million in cap savings and only $13.5 million in deal money per Over The Cap.
Several mock drafts have Seattle taking a quarterback in the first round with J.J. McCarthy and Micael Penix Jr. as the two primary selections, but Howell's arrival certainly impacts that thought process.
Given Schneider’s crush on Howell, the plan could be for the young QB to learn under Smith as a backup during his first year in Seattle before taking over full-time moving forward.
It doesn't sound that farfetched as an idea, but for now, it remains just that—an idea—albeit an intriguing one.
