The Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles swung a deal on Sunday morning. Kevin O'Connell is a quarterback whisperer, but he cannot turn water into wine. The Vikings depth chart, as currently constructed, left little margin for error. Second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy was coming off a season-ending injury in 2024. Now, he is expected to take a major leap with little experience under his belt. Sam Howell, the backup in this story, didn't inspire enough confidence in O'Connell to be the next man up should McCarthy suffer a setback. So, he has been dealt elsewhere.
Vikings and Eagles swing a deal
- Vikings trade Sam Howell to the Eagles, add a new backup
- Vikings sign Carson Wentz to replace Sam Howell
- NFL trade grades: Who won the Sam Howell deal?
The Vikings have traded Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles, who are dealing with quarterback depth issues of their own thanks to an injury to Tanner McKee. In return, the Vikings received draft capital.
Vikings trade Sam Howell to the Eagles, add a new backup
In acquiring Sam Howell, the Eagles receive the quarterback insurance they need, as McKee is expected to miss the first few weeks of the regular season. Howell and Jalen Hurts have similar skill-sets, so if for some reason the latter were to get injured and miss a few plays, the Eagles offense wouldn't change dramatically.
What Howell is not, though, is a game-changer. He also struggles with his accuracy at times, and plays with reckless abandon. With the Eagles, Howell has playmakers all over the field, including Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown. He will not be asked to do much, which is probably for the best.
Eagles QB depth chart |
|---|
Jalen Hurts |
Sam Howell |
Dorian Thompson-Robinson |
Kyle McCord |
Tanner McKee (injured) |
It's unclear whether the Eagles will carry all four healthy quarterbacks into the season opener. Should they choose to cut one loose, McCord could be the odd man out.
Vikings sign Carson Wentz to replace Sam Howell
It was reported late this week that the Vikings were expected to work out Carson Wentz. The veteran Wentz spent last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, hoping to revive his reputation and land a starting job this offseason. That, of course, did not happen. Wentz was valued with the Chiefs, but his time as a starting quarterback has come and gone. At 32 years old, the best Wentz can hope for this season is to earn his stripes under O'Connell, and perhaps learn a thing or two along the way.
As a former top draft selection himself, Wentz could be a good role model for McCarthy as well. Wentz's Eagles were competitive without much of a runway, and the quarterback was thrust into the spotlight. After untimely injuries and an improbable Super Bowl run by his backup Nick Foles, Wentz wasn't needed anymore and was eventually sent packing. The NFL is a tough business.
Vikings QB depth chart |
|---|
JJ McCarthy |
Carson Wentz |
Max Brosmer |
Brett Rypien |
The addition of Wentz likely kicks Rypien off the roster and Brosmer to the practice squad. Neither have extensive NFL experience, so it's for the best.
NFL trade grades: Who won the Sam Howell deal?
Given the Vikings had plans to replace Howell anyway, they are the safe winners of this trade. Wentz has played at a Pro Bowl level in the not-so-distant future, and while he isn't that player anymore, he remains a better option than Howell should McCarthy go down with another injury. Hopefully, KOC and the Vikings will not have to face that reality, but it's his and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's job to think of every worst-case scenario and prepare themselves for it. Adding Wentz does just that.
The good news for the Eagles is they didn't give much up for Howell. That being said, their urgency after an injury to McKee speaks volumes about the other quarterbacks on the roster.