Sam Howell trade: Seahawks GM says Geno Smith ‘the guy,’ but ex-Commanders QB could push for competition

Hours after the Atlanta Falcons traded Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals, another quarterback from the 2022 NFL Draft class is on the move, with the Washington Commanders sending Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks, CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones has confirmed.

Seattle will receive Howell, a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 102 overall) and a 2024 sixth-rounder (No. 179) from Washington in exchange for a third-rounder (No. 78) and fifth-rounder (No. 152), per ESPN. All told, the Seahawks are effectively surrendering the equivalent of an early fourth-round pick, according to Drafttek’s trade value chart.

And it’s not out of the question the 23-year-old Howell could soon be vying for the Seahawks’ starting job. General manager John Schneider told 710 Seattle Sports on Thursday that incumbent Geno Smith is “the guy” atop the quarterback depth chart, noting that Howell “will be backing him up.” But he then left the door open for an eventual competition.

“We loved him coming out of college,” Schneider said of Howell. “We’re happy to get him in the mix. … I’m sure there’s competition. … (As) of right now — I mean, it’s not like we’re signing him to go and compete with Geno to be the starter, but I’m sure he’s gonna be giving it a run. He’s a competitive guy.”

Originally a fifth-round selection out of North Carolina, Howell appeared in just one game as a rookie, starting in Washington’s Week 18 season finale. He drew strong support from then-Commanders coach Ron Rivera going into his second offseason, however, and held the starting job for almost all of 2023. While he showcased a big arm with an NFL-leading 613 pass attempts, he also threw as many interceptions (21) as touchdowns, going 4-13 as the top signal-caller.

Howell will open the 2024 offseason as the Seahawks’ No. 2 quarterback after Seattle lost veteran backup Drew Lock to the New York Giants in free agency. Smith last offseason signed a new deal with the Seahawks following a Comeback Player of the Year breakout, but his numbers dipped in 2023 as Seattle failed to make the playoffs.

Washington, meanwhile, is expected to add a new quarterback near the top of the 2024 draft, owning the No. 2 overall pick.

Here are our instant grades for the deal:

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Commanders: A-

Howell was gutsy in his first crack at the starting job, and he would’ve made for a solid emergency plan under center, still young enough to mature as a decision-maker. But the Commanders were always going to replace him with a premium investment this offseason, presumably near the top of the draft. Getting the rough equivalent of a fourth-rounder for him via the pick swap is solid value considering new No. 2 Marcus Mariota and/or other veteran reserves can offer a similar level of talent.

Seahawks: B

Are they justified in adding competition, or at least higher-upside insurance, for Smith? Sure. Could Howell be the next Drew Lock, coming off the bench with a few inspired performances? Sure. But this is a half-measure when it comes to adding a true challenger to the quarterback room, and while the price they’re paying isn’t ridiculous, it’s also not nothing. There’s a case to be made they should still be eyeing a potential Day 1 investment at the position in the 2024 draft, if possible.