Sam Howell Traded to Battle for QB Spot with Geno Smith

Sam Howell, drafted by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, has been traded to the Seattle Seahawks in a swap of draft picks. The Seahawks receive Howell, a fourth-round pick (No. 102) and a sixth (No. 179), while the Commanders will receive a third (No. 78) and a fifth (No. 152). This news comes per NFL insider Adam Schefter.

The move from Howell makes logical sense, as the Commanders also hold the No. 2 overall pick in a draft filled with a plethora of quarterback stars. Among those possible selections are Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, Howell’s fellow UNC star Drake Maye, USC stud Caleb Williams, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

Some might say these names are all a bit more exciting than Sam Howell’s. That said, the day’s second big quarterback trade means something in arguably the most critical position in sports.

After Howell impressed in his 2022 rookie year debut in week 18 against the Dallas Cowboys in his lone start, he became well-positioned to take on the starting job in 2023, eventually edging out veteran Jacoby Brissett. He competed at a higher level than some may have expected and remained the starter for the entirety of the year. Before this year’s draft darling Drake Maye, Sam Howell was raising eyebrows out of the University of North Carolina Tarheels QB room first.

The new Seahawk completed a reasonably impressive 63.4% of his passes for 3,946 yards and threw 21 touchdowns. The problem? He also threw 21 interceptions. The Commanders weren’t a good team last year and finished with a 4-13 record, but you could argue it wasn’t all Howell’s fault. In a top-heavy NFC East, he kept them in some games.

It appears the goal now is not to bet on Howell, even as a backup option, as rookie quarterback years can be rough, but to move on and stock up on incrementally better draft positioning. This trade effectively does that but doesn’t indicate the end for the former UNC signal caller. He now joins Geno Smith in a QB room that’s going to be competitive.

The 23-year-old Howell has proved he can play in this league. We’ll see whether or not the resume he’s put on paper translates into a long career. What we do know is quarterbacks aren’t easy to find. The Washington fanbase is frustrated, and it looks like a significant change was all that was needed to prove a point. They want elite quarterback play and don’t believe Sam Howell fits the bill. They are going to take one of these young guys. Fair enough.

But in the least predictable position in football, you’re seeing a lot of teams hedging their bets. Desmond Ridder now backs up Kyler Murray in Arizona. Another NFC West team has snagged a still-young Howell to back up Geno Smith. We’ve seen these things play out before. It’s not always as simple as it seems.

That said, Washington is almost certainly drafting a quarterback, and that shouldn’t come as any surprise. Seattle is hedging with two solid guys, and Washington wants to grab the next superstar. We’ll see which strategy is more effective.