Seahawks Open to Trading Sam Howell Amid Quarterback Shuffle

SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks are shaking up their quarterback position this offseason and are now open to trading backup quarterback Sam Howell. General manager John Schneider confirmed Monday that the Seahawks have received inquiries from other teams about acquiring Howell.

Schneider said, “That’s accurate. We have a great relationship with his agent. He has a ton of contacts as well. It’s an open dialogue.” The potential trade comes after the Seahawks recently signed Drew Lock to compete for the backup job behind starter Sam Darnold.

Last month, the Seahawks traded former starter Geno Smith to the New York Jets and signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal. Seattle’s quarterback situation has become crowded, with both Lock and Howell on the roster alongside Jaren Hall. Last season, under head coach Mike Macdonald, the team typically carried three quarterbacks, a trend that may continue.

Howell, a former fifth-round draft choice by Washington, started 18 games for the Commanders and threw for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in the 2023 season. However, his limited appearances in Seattle have not been promising; he completed just 35.7% of his passes in a Week 15 game against the Green Bay Packers.

With Howell on the trading block, the Pittsburgh Steelers have emerged as a potential destination, given their current instability at quarterback. The Steelers have limited options behind starter Kenny Pickett and have reportedly shown interest in Howell.

Besides Pittsburgh, other teams are also exploring the possibility of acquiring the 24-year-old quarterback. As the NFL Draft approaches, the Seahawks may be looking to trade Howell for additional picks, hoping to strengthen their roster.

In response to the interest in Howell, Schneider stated, “We have four guys that we really like…and it doesn’t preclude us from doing anything in the draft either.” Howell’s future in Seattle seems uncertain as the team aims to make necessary adjustments before the draft.