As J.J. McCarthy likely expected, the Minnesota Vikings are now one quarterback richer during Draft weekend — but not through the draft. Heading into the event, there was some logic behind wondering if the Vikings might draft a quarterback to fill out the room.
Of course, after spending a first-round pick on McCarthy just a year ago, the odds were always slim that Minnesota would draft another QB early. However, a Day 3 pick wouldn’t have been a surprise. Instead, the Vikings looked outside the NFL Draft to get their guy.
Vikings QB Room Adds New Passer to Pair With J.J. McCarthy
In an April 26 post, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Vikings acquired quarterback Sam Howell from the Seattle Seahawks.
The #Vikings are trading for QB Sam Howell, as the Seahawks and MIN swaps picks 142 and 172.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
“The Vikings are trading for QB Sam Howell, as the Seahawks and MIN swap picks 142 and 172,” Rapoport posted. It didn’t cost the Vikings a full draft pick, but it did move them 30 spots back.
Howell has scored 28 total touchdowns in his career, throwing for 22 of them and rushing for six more. He also added 23 interceptions to his stat sheet. Notably, he didn’t make the cut for PFSN’s QB+ metrics, which ranked the top 39 quarterbacks.
Howell spent the 2024 season with the Seahawks. Before that, he played two years for the Washington Commanders, where he led the league in interceptions in 2023.
While there are plenty of reasons to label him strictly a backup quarterback, Howell could still represent a perfect middle-ground option for the Vikings.
Sam Howell’s Addition Signals Foresight by Vikings
Before trading for Howell, McCarthy and Brett Rypien were the only quarterbacks on the roster. There was speculation that they might target a bigger name like Aaron Rodgers or another veteran, but that timeline never played out.
Minnesota had to be mindful of how they went about their quarterback room. Going too big could have pressured McCarthy into struggling — the classic case of a veteran overshadowing a young QB. Going too small could have left the Vikings with no real fallback if McCarthy faltered.
By landing Howell, the Vikings added a quarterback with some NFL experience, but not enough to threaten McCarthy’s status as the starter. Rypien falls into a similar category as he’s mainly a filler for the room while also providing a veteran voice.
In total, Howell has played in 20 games, starting 18 for Washington and playing in two for Seattle.
He brings a level of production and experience that won’t intimidate McCarthy but offers some upside for a Case Keenum-style moment if needed.
Of course, the hope is that McCarthy seizes the job, but if not, Minnesota now has a backup plan in place.
