Seahawks trade Sam Howell to NFC rival after Jalen Milroe pick

The Seattle Seahawks are saying goodbye to Sam Howell as the team shakes up its quarterback room.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks' quarterback room is changing.

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Seahawks are trading Sam Howell to the Minnesota Vikings.

Trade: Seahawks are trading QB Sam Howell to the Vikings, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2025

The move comes after the Seahawks selected Alabama's Jalen Milroe with the No. 92 overall pick in the third round of last night's portion of the draft.

The Seahawks took a flier on Howell last season to be Geno Smith's backup quarterback after he spent two seasons with the Washington Commanders. Howell was a fifth-round pick out of North Carolina in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he started all 17 games for the Commanders in the 2023 season.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

However, the Commanders finished 4-13 that season, leading them to the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which they used to select quarterback Jayden Daniels out of LSU.

Daniels was the Offensive Rookie of the Year for the Commanders while Howell reverted back to backup status for the Seahawks.

Howell will now have a chance to go to the Vikings and back up J.J. McCarthy, who was the No. 10 overall pick in last year's draft. McCarthy was supposed to be the starter last year ahead of new Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, but a knee injury ended his season in training camp.

Now, Howell gets to fill that role for the Vikings with just one year left on his four-year rookie contract he signed in Washington.

The Seahawks now have Milroe, Sam Darnold and Drew Lock in the quarterback room ahead of the season.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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