The Minnesota Vikings have called it quits on quarterback Sam Howell after a little more than three months of preseason work.
Minnesota dealt the fourth-year quarterback to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, August 24, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
“Trade! The #Vikings are trading QB Sam Howell to the #Eagles, per me and @TomPelissero,” Rapoport posted to X. “It’s a 5th in 2026 and 7th in 2027 to MIN, while PHI [gets] Howell and 6th in 2026. Minnesota, which recently hosted Carson Wentz on a visit, now has a QB opening. And Philly gets more QB depth.”
Sam Howell Had Difficulties Since Vikings Training Camp Began in July
GettyQuarterback Sam Howell of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings traded with the Seattle Seahawks for Howell over draft weekend, dropping 30 spots in a fifth-round pick swap for the rights to the quarterback.
Seattle signed Sam Darnold in free agency, who started for Minnesota in 2024 and led the team to a 14-3 record, before drafting Jalen Milroe out of Alabama in the third round.
Howell led the NFL in pass attempts during the 2023 campaign as the starter for the Washington Commanders, who went 4-13 that season. He threw for 3,946 yards and 21 TDs, but also led the league with 21 interceptions.
There is no questioning Howell’s arm talent, though his decision-making was an issue as he struggled against the Vikings’ first-team defense during training camp practices. Howell played decently in the team’s opening preseason contest, but struggled mightily against the New England Patriots in the second outing, going 1-of-5 passing for 13 yards and an interception.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell downplayed Howell’s struggles in that contest to some degree, noting that he was facing the Patriots’ first-team defense, while Minnesota was playing without several of its first-line starters on offense.
“For a lot of his chunk of time in there, [Howell] went up against their starting unit. We sat a lot of guys today, so it was going to be tough,” O’Connell said. “I’m looking at just guys going out there and playing physical and executing and playing with detail and throwing and catching in the pass game.”
The Vikings chose not to play Howell in preseason game No. 3 against the Tennessee Titans on Friday, then traded him 48 hours later.
Minnesota Likely to Turn to Veteran Backup QB Behind J.J. McCarthy
GettyQuarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota did play undrafted rookie Max Brosmer against Tennessee, and he impressed yet again.
That Brosmer appears on a path toward viability as a backup in the league probably made the Vikings’ decision to move on from Howell a bit easier. However, as Rapoport noted, that doesn’t mean the team is done adding to the position group.
Brett Rypien is also in the QB room, though he figures to be a sort of behind-the-scenes, third-string option there for his experience and mind for the position. The team kept Rypien rostered all last season, though he never played a snap, and that could be the same in 2025.
Wentz makes sense as a veteran option with a good amount of starting experience who can step in for a half, or perhaps a two- or three-game stretch, if second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffers an injury or simply has a terrible outing and the coaching staff decides to pull him.
McCarthy has yet to take a regular-season snap in the NFL after injuring his knee last August ahead of his rookie campaign. Minnesota arguably has a Super Bowl-level roster outside of the QB position, so transitioning from Howell to a more-established veteran provides a sensible level of insurance the offense didn’t previously possess.
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