Seahawks’ trade with Commanders for a 2nd QB with Geno Smith follows a familiar script
The Seahawks just doubled their number of quarterbacks, following a familiar script.
Seattle acquired Sam Howell, Washington’s starting quarterback last season, in a trade Thursday that also swaps 2024 draft picks between the teams.
The Seahawks get Howell, a fourth-round choice (No. 102) and a sixth-round pick (179). The Commanders, now coached by recently hired former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, get Seattle’s third-round pick (78) plus a fifth-rounder.
The trade was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It gives starter Geno Smith a Seahawks backup similar to what Drew Lock was the last two seasons: a former NFL starter Seattle acquired in a trade while he is still under his rookie contract.
Lock agreed this week to a one-year free-agent contract with the New York Giants reportedly worth $5 million.
Howell, 24, has this year and 2025 remaining on the contract Washington gave him when the Commanders drafted him in the fifth round in 2022 out of North Carolina.
Smith, who turns 34 in October, has two years left on his Seahawks contract.
Howell went 4-13 last season starting for the Commanders. He threw a league-high 612 passes — with a league-high 21 interceptions.
Lock also led the NFL in interceptions the season he was a starter early in his career, in 2020, his second season after being a second-round pick by Denver. The Seahawks acquired him in the spring of 2022 as part of the huge trade of Russell Wilson to the Broncos.
Howell completed 63.4% of his passes last season for Washington, with 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns.
He lit up the Seahawks’ 30th-ranked defense last season. He completed 29 of 44 throws for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Smith rallied from getting booed early in that game with 10 late points as the Seahawks came back to beat Washington 29-26 at Lumen Field in November.
This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 2:16 PM.
