The 2024 NFL league year officially started on Wednesday, and the news has been popping up. One of the big moves on Thursday, though, is the Washington Commanders trading quarterback Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks. What are the details of the big-time move?
Sam Howell Traded to Seattle Seahawks in Shocking Move
Howell was taken in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Commanders. He went on to start all 18 games of his career, including 17 in 2023, and pass for 4,115 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. He also rushed for 298 yards and six touchdowns and went 5-13 as a starting quarterback.
However, despite flashing potential as a long-term option at quarterback, the Commanders are expected to take a new quarterback with their second-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. As a result, they are shipping him off to somewhere else, according to Adam Schefter. Here are the terms of the deal:
- Seahawks receive Howell, a fourth-round pick (No. 102) and a sixth-round pick (No. 179)
- Commanders receive a third-round pick (No. 78) and a fifth-round pick (No. 152)
Following the trade, the Commanders now have nine picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Those picks include six in the top 100. They currently hold picks number two, 36, 40, 67, 78, 100, 139, 152, and 222. At number two, the team will likely be selecting between one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels.
The Seahawks have seven picks in the draft, with just two of them coming in the top 100. Their picks are 16, 81, 102, 118, 179, 192, and 235. The Commanders’ first-round pick is easier to guess, with the Seahawks being a bit more of a mystery.
The Seahawks’ current starter is 33-year-old Geno Smith, who has been the team’s starter since 2022 and with the team since 2020. In his time with Seattle, he’s thrown for 8,641 yards, 55 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He won NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2022.
However, despite having Smith, there’s still a chance Howell will start in 2024. Schefter reported that Howell will compete with Smith through the offseason for the Seahawks starting quarterback job.
The Howell move just continues what has been a very busy free agency period for the Commanders. The team has signed 16 free agents, with 14 of them coming from outside of the organization. Those players include Zach Ertz, Dorance Armstrong, Tyler Biadasz, Frankie Luvu, and Austin Ekeler, among many others.
The Seahawks, on the other hand, have made a few moves. The team released Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs but has since signed just seven players, with three of them coming from outside of the organization (Pharaoh Brown, Rayshawn Jenkins, and Nick Harris). The Howell move changes things, though.
KEEP READING: Commanders QB Targets at No. 2 Overall
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