BREAKING: Commanders Trade QB Sam Howell to Seahawks

The Washington Commanders are moving on from Sam Howell.

The Washington Commanders' busy off-season continued on Thursday, this time by trading starting quarterback Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks. 

ESPN insider Adam Schefter first reported the news and said that the Commanders are sending a fourth (No. 102) and a sixth-round pick (No. 179) alongside Howell to the Seahawks. In return, Washington is receiving a third (No. 78) and fifth-round pick (No. 152).

Nov 12, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) signals to the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field / Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Commanders drafted Howell in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After he led Washington to a win in his lone start of the season in Week 18 over the Dallas Cowboys, Howell was the odds-on favorite to win the starting job in 2023 then beat out Jacoby Brissett for the job. 

Howell got off to a strong start, but after Week 10 when he threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns against the Seahawks, he hit a wall and struggled the rest of the way. He threw four touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions in his final six games of the 2023 season. Howell was set to be benched ahead of Week 17, but a hamstring injury led to him starting all 17 games in 2023. 

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Howell finished the 2023 season throwing for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. 

With the Commanders signing Marcus Mariota and having the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, the writing was on the wall for Howell with a new regime that didn't draft him. Howell will now have a chance to revive his career in Seattle, while Washington will likely set its sights on landing its franchise quarterback with the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.