The Seattle Seahawks have long been a model of stability when it comes to the quarterback position. Since 2010, General Manager John Schneider has been selective, drafting only three quarterbacks, with the latest addition being Jalen Milroe in 2025. This consistency was largely thanks to Russell Wilson, who held the QB1 spot for a decade before hanging up his cleats and transitioning to a new role as a CBS football analyst.
Currently, the Seahawks appear to have found their footing with Sam Darnold leading the charge. However, it's interesting to note that in recent offseasons, more former Seattle quarterbacks have been circulating through the NFL than we've seen in recent history. Besides Wilson, who has retired, there's Geno Smith, who started for three years, and Sam Howell, whose journey has been particularly nomadic.
Sam Howell's NFL journey has been a whirlwind. Traded last offseason from the Minnesota Vikings to the Philadelphia Eagles, Howell didn't see any game action in 2025.
Now with the Dallas Cowboys, Howell finds himself in a precarious position as the third-string quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Joe Milton. Despite Milton's lack of NFL experience, the Cowboys seem more inclined to bet on his raw talent as Prescott's backup than to rely on Howell.
Howell's career started with promise. Drafted in the fifth round by the Washington Commanders in 2022, he started every game in 2023, leading the league in pass attempts with 612.
However, his aggressive play came with drawbacks, including leading the league in interceptions with 21 and enduring 65 sacks. These stats paint a picture of a quarterback who was often under pressure and perhaps trying to do too much.
As Howell gears up for the 2026 season, the outlook isn't rosy. If he doesn't carve out a role with the Cowboys, his future in the league could be in jeopardy. While teams like the New England Patriots might offer a glimmer of hope due to his friendship with their starter Drake Maye, Howell's journey suggests that teams have been quick to move on from him.
The Seahawks' decision to part ways with Howell may have been influenced by a forgettable performance in Week 15 of the 2024 season, where he struggled after stepping in for an injured Geno Smith. Completing just five of 14 passes for 24 yards and an interception, Howell seemed out of sync and overwhelmed.
Now on his third team within a year, Howell's NFL future hangs in the balance. He could soon join the ranks of former Seahawks quarterbacks exploring opportunities outside of playing football. As the new season approaches, Howell's path serves as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL.
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3 Overlooked Seahawks Could Become Mike Macdonald Favorites Fast
Chazz Surratt, Rylie Mills and Rodney Thomas II are the kind of under-the-radar additions that can matter more in January than in September. Surratt has already carved out a real lane for himself by helping on special teams, the sort of work that rarely grabs headlines but usually earns trust inside a building. Mills, meanwhile, brings a different kind of intrigue after flashing in limited action and giving Seattle a glimpse of how disruptive he can be when he is on the field.
Rodney Thomas II fits the same theme in a different way, a veteran safety looking for a clean reset in a system that asks a lot from the back end. Under Mike Macdonald, there is room for players like this to move quickly if they can take to the details and give the staff reliable snaps when called upon. For a Seahawks team trying to stockpile dependable depth, each of these three has a path to becoming far more important than the outside noise suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Thomas Just Changed The Seahawks Depth Conversation
Drake Thomas went from an undrafted flier in 2023 to one of the more useful pieces on Seattles defense, and the climb has forced a real rethink of the Seahawks linebacker depth. Concerns about his size and explosiveness were part of why he slipped out of the draft, but his football intelligence and versatility kept earning him more trust as the season went on, until his role was no longer easy to treat like that of a backup.
The Seahawks clearly noticed, too, by re-signing him after the breakout season and locking in a player who fits what they want on defense. Thomas gave Seattle production, reliability and the kind of flexibility that matters in a modern scheme, which is why his rise now feels less like a pleasant surprise and more like a roster decision the team had to make. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Buzz Just Made Charbonnets Camp Status Even Bigger
The Seahawks backfield is drawing extra attention as training camp nears, and not just because of the usual summer churn at running back. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler noted that rookie Jadarian Price has already caught the teams eye with his open-field vision, while Seattle also starts sorting through broader offensive changes under Brian Fleury, including more motion and shifts designed to keep defenses guessing.
For a group that already has several moving parts, Zach Charbonnets recovery remains the swing factor in how the depth chart takes shape early in camp. Fowler also highlighted encouraging chemistry between Sam Darnold and Rashee Shaheed as the offense evolves, but the real question for Seattle is how much clarity it gets before the roster ramps up with rookies reporting first and veterans joining soon after. [Read more 🡒]