Jets Trade for Commanders' Sam Howell as Aaron Rodgers Backup? NFL Rumor

The New York Jets need a backup quarterback for Aaron Rodgers. Could the Washington Commanders trade Sam Howell to scratch the itch?

Sam Howell may be on the verge of losing the Washington Commanders starting quarterback job, but he may have a team that is interested in his services.

As reported by Connor Hughes of SNY, the New York Jets like the idea of trading for Howell..

The New York Jets saw their 2023 season wither away just four plays into the start of the season when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles. Without a quality backup quarterback, New York's offense struggled to look competent all year and it resulted in a second-straight 7-10 season.

With the NFL Draft quickly approaching, teams with top picks may be inclined to part ways with their previous season's starters in hopes of giving the newly drafted player a clean field. That means someone like Commanders quarterback Sam Howell could be on the move this offseason as Washington prepares for a new quarterback to hitch their hopes to.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) talks with Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField / Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Could the Jets be a likely candidate to trade for Howell to learn behind the likes of Rodgers?

For starters, New York could do a lot worse as their backup quarterback than Howell. True, the mid-round draft pick in 2022 led the league with 21 interceptions last season, but he showed enough promise as a prospect to be a player that a team like Gang Green could ship their hopes to.

Howell was sacked more than any other quarterback last season while throwing the ball a league-high 612 times. There were a lot of other problems the Commanders had in 2023 outside of just having a young quarterback go through typical growing pains.

The Jets are uniquely equipped to take on a player of Howell's stature. The North Carolina product carries a cap hit of just over $1 million through the next two seasons. Being on his rookie deal could be an enticing piece for New York as they have other positions to address in the 2024 offseason.

What would compensation look like for a team in Washington looking to start over at quarterback, though?

With eight draft picks in 2024, the Jets could feasibly throw in a late-round pick swap with the Commanders for Howell's services. Potentially throwing in former second-overall pick Zach Wilson could be on the table as well.

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A backup quarterback swap and a higher pick to help new general manager Adam Peters build the foundation for the Commanders' rebuild could be a step in the right direction.