I think it is safe to say no one saw the Seattle Seahawks acquiring Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell. The somewhat-shocking trade from late in the week left many wondering what this was going to mean for the team. How is Howell going to fit in? Does this mean they won’t attempt to draft a quarterback? What does this say about Geno Smith?
Well, we have the answer to at least two of the above questions… at least for now. General manager John Schneider affirmed that Howell would indeed be the backup to Smith.
John Schneider on Sam Howell: "We're happy to get him in the mix. Geno's the guy and Sam will be backing him up."
Asked a follow-up on Howell's role, Schneider reiterated they're not adding him to compete with Smith (but said he's a competitive guy an will be "giving it a run"). https://t.co/1WwurFfwz4
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) March 14, 2024
If there was one thing the Pete Carroll era was adamant about was that no one’s position was ever set in stone. It did not matter if you were a high draft pick or the most expensive free agent, if someone else was better at your job than you, then it would no longer be your job. It will be curious to see if this “always compete” mentality will exist under the new Mike Macdonald regime.
Still, Howell’s arrival leaves plenty of questions when it comes to the draft. If Howell is already slated as the backup, then it would suggest they are not interested in getting a young quarterback to groom behind Geno Smith.
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