The Seattle Seahawks traded backup quarterback Sam Howell to the Minnesota Vikings, per multiple media reports.
As part of the deal, Seattle received Minnesota’s 142nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, where they used the fifth-round selection to take defensive lineman Rylie Mills from Notre Dame. The Vikings also got the 172nd overall pick from the Seahawks in the deal.
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In this offseason, Seattle signed former Vikings starting QB Sam Darnold in free agency after trading starter Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Howell, who spent the 2024 season with Seattle as a backup to Smith, will now be on his third team in four seasons in the league. The former UNC quarterback started his career with the Washington Commanders; now, he will join J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota.
The Seahawks picked up another backup quarterback, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, in the third round of the draft on Friday, making Howell expendable. Drew Lock and Jaren Hall round out the rest of Seattle’s quarterback room.
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By taking Howell, the Vikings are seemingly shutting down the idea of signing free agent Aaron Rodgers. The Vikings were a potential team for the veteran quarterback after losing Darnold, but are less likely to need a starting QB at this point.
The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be the top landing spot for Rodgers — though that opportunity might also be shrinking. At the time of the Vikings trade, the Steelers hadn’t taken a quarterback yet in the draft, but later took Ohio State QB Will Howard in the sixth round.
Although Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney II has certainly shown interest in bringing in Rodgers, as has head coach Mike Tomlin, it’s looking like it’ll come down to what Rodgers, who has been taking his time contemplating his football future, decides to do.
