The Seattle Seahawks have made a trade on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. The team sent quarterback Sam Howell and the No.172 overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings for the No.142 overall, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. With pick 142, Seattle selected Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills.
Howell being traded at some point this offseason was the expectation, as the Seahawks recently signed Drew Lock to be Sam Darnold's backup, and general manager John Schneider stated during his pre-draft press conference that the franchise had received calls on Howell.
This deal makes sense for both teams, but who is the official winner? Let's grade the Sam Howell trade for the Seahawks and Vikings.
Sam Howell trade grades
Seahawks: A
Seattle didn't need Howell on the roster, so including him in a trade to move up 30 spots in the draft is an excellent move by the front office. With the pick acquired, the Seahawks took Mills, who posted 7.5 sacks last season at Notre Dame and could be a future starter on Mike Macdonald's defense.
Overall, this is a fantastic deal by Seattle.
Vikings: B
Acquiring a solid backup quarterback was a priority for Minnesota, as McCarthy missed his entire rookie campaign in 2024 due to a knee injury. Howell has starting experience, but he is turnover-prone and barely saw the field last year.
Minnesota needed a backup, but moving down 30 picks to add Howell is a bit questionable.
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