One of the more surprising offseason transactions for the Philadelphia Eagles was trading for quarterback Sam Howell right before the roster cutdown deadline. The Eagles gave up a fifth-round pick and a seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings to acquire Howell and a sixth-round pick. With Tanner McKee firmly established as the backup QB in Philly, why the Eagles felt compelled to trade draft capital for a QB3 was difficult to understand for many.
Now, with the November 4 trade deadline right around the corner, this move may pay dividends for the Eagles. ESPN's Adam Schefter (via @UnderdogNFL) reported on Sunday that Howell's former team, the Vikings, is looking to trade for a veteran backup QB ahead of the deadline. J.J. McCarthy has returned from his injury in Minnesota, but the Vikings just lost Carson Wentz for the season, leaving undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as the only other option on the roster.
Eagles Have Excellent Sam Howell Trade Opportunity Ahead of Deadline
The Vikings already traded for Howell earlier this year, so there is reason to think that they would be willing to bring him back. At the time of the 2025 NFL draft, the Vikings traded for Howell from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a swap of their fifth-round picks. Howell was not needed in Seattle with Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, and rookie Jalen Milroe in the building. Despite trading for the 25-year-old, however, Minnesota opted to sign Wentz over him two weeks before the start of the season.
Perhaps the reason was purely about the return. The Vikings didn't want to miss the opportunity to land a QB with some value around the league for a cheap price, and when they received an even better one from the Eagles, they went ahead and moved on from Howell.
This is certainly a fascinating turn of events for Howell. The former fifth-round pick hasn't necessarily had much success in the NFL, but he clearly has a good reputation around the league since teams are consistently trying to trade for him. Since his last NFL start, in the 2023 campaign with the Washington Commanders, Howell has been traded three times. Signs are pointing towards a fourth time before Tuesday's deadline.
The Eagles don't need to have three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. They believe in McKee, and they haven't even needed him since he joined the team in 2023. Jalen Hurts rarely gets hurt, and in case of an injury, McKee will always be an option before Howell or any other veteran QB the Eagles may consider as a third-stringer.