On Friday, April 12, two more potential fits slipped away—Joe Flacco joined the Cleveland Browns, while Drew Lock signed with the Seattle Seahawks. That leaves the Vikings with very few viable options to back up rookie J.J. McCarthy should he go down. The Minnesota Vikings have yet to act as the free-agent quarterback market has rapidly thinned out.
However, Lock’s move to Seattle has put another quarterback’s future in question. According to Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune, Lock’s arrival raises doubts about the young quarterback’s role going forward, making him a potential trade target for Minnesota. If acquired, Sam Howell could follow a similar path to Sam Darnold, who revitalized his career before earning a significant deal with Seattle.
Howell, a former fifth-round pick by Washington, had a rough go last season. When called into action against Green Bay, he was sacked four times and completed just 5 of 19 drop backs. The year before, he struggled on a Commanders team in flux, one that offered little support for a young quarterback. Unlike Brock Purdy’s favorable setup in San Francisco, Howell was forced into a high-pressure role behind a porous defense and threw more passes (612), took more sacks (65), and tossed more interceptions (21) than any other QB in the league.
Despite the challenges, Howell’s aggressive, downfield style could fit well in Kevin O’Connell’s system—similar to how the coach valued Nick Mullens. Howell tied Drake Maye’s record for most single-season passing touchdowns at North Carolina, and some scouts, like NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, believed he had second-round talent.
Footwork and timing have been major flaws in Howell’s game, but in Minnesota’s supportive system, he could rebuild his game much like Darnold did. Still only 25 entering the 2025 season, Howell could benefit from being developed behind the scenes.
The Seahawks originally sent third- and sixth-round picks to Washington in exchange for Howell and a pair of later picks, effectively moving back just 24 spots late in the third round. That trade hasn’t aged well, and with Lock now in Seattle, the team may be eager to cut its losses.
With limited options remaining and no backup locked in, Howell could be a smart developmental option for the Vikings—someone who might eventually step in with better mechanics and newfound confidence. While Darnold had better tools coming out of college, Howell offers enough upside that Minnesota could mold him into the ideal No. 2 behind McCarthy—ready to step in if needed.
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