The Eagles have traded for Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback Sam Howell, a person with knowledge of the trade confirmed to NJ Advance Media. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first broke the news on Sunday morning.
Philadelphia sent a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Minnesota for Howell and a sixth-round pick in 2026.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made this move because No. 2 quarterback Tanner McKee has a right finger injury and doesn’t appear to be on track to play in Week 1. He didn’t get surgery on the finger, but no timetable has been given for his return.
Sixth-round rookie Kyle McCord had a bad summer and is not pro-ready. He went 15 of 35 in the Eagles’ preseason finale against the New York Jets and threw an interception to Jets rookie safety Malachi Moore.
The Eagles’ offense would have been in trouble if Hurts got hurt and McCord had to play. Howell gives them a better chance.
A 2022 fifth-round pick of the Washington Commanders, Howell has started 18 games in the NFL, making 17 of them in 2023 for Washington.
After throwing 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions that season, Howell was traded in the 2024 offseason to the Seattle Seahawks. Playing sparingly in two games as the backup last year, he only completed 5 of his 14 passes and also threw an interception.
Howell is a high-variance player who has a big arm. When McKee returns, Howell will be demoted to QB3. He will likely knock McCord off the roster.
In a corresponding move, the Eagles waived/injured safety Lewis Cine.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Cayden Steele may be reached atCSteele@njadvancemedia.com
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.