The Seahawks made a minor move in the offseason, letting Drew Lock go in free agency and instead adding a new backup quarterback. While Geno Smith is the unquestioned starter at the position, Seattle opted to go with a cheaper option by acquiring Sam Howell from the Commanders to fill out the depth chart.
The Commanders didn't have much need for Howell once they decided to draft Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Therefore, they put the third-year player on the market and found a trade partner in Seattle.
We break down why Seattle made the move and what would happen if Geno Smith were to miss time.
Seahawks quarterback depth chart
| Rank | Name |
| 1. | Geno Smith |
| 2. | Sam Howell |
| 3. | Jaren Hall (practice squad) |
No. 1 Geno Smith
Smith is in his third season as Seattle's starting quarterback, and he is off to a strong start. Through five games, Smith leads the NFL with 143 completions, 199 attempts, and 1,466 passing yards. He also has five passing touchdowns and four interceptions to go along with 146 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
Smith has now made 37 starts as the Seahawks starting quarterback since 2022, which includes 55 passing touchdowns and 9,372 passing yards. As a team, the Seahawks are 3-2 this year and 20-17 over the past three seasons when Smith starts.
No. 2 Sam Howell
The Commanders drafted Howell out of North Carolina in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. After spending most of his rookie season on the bench, Howell started the final game of the 2022 season, then started every game for Washington in 2023.
The quarterback led Commanders to just a 4-13 record, with 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and a league-leading 21 interceptions. He also took 65 sacks on the year, which not only led the league in 2023 but was also the fourth-most sacks taken by a quarterback in a season since 1960.
However, despite Howell's struggles, Seahawks general manager John Schneider compared him to a Hall of Famer.
“I was around Brett Favre at a really young age — the guy was throwing interceptions like crazy, and he ends up winning three MVPs,” Schneider said, via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. “I love the way he plays the game. Sam. And Brett.”
Seattle acquired Howell in a deal with Washington that also included both teams trading draft picks. The move gave Seattle a backup with starting experience who is still only making $985,000 this year, giving them flexibility if they want to make Howell a starter in the future or spring for a higher-priced veteran.
For the past two years, Drew Lock served as Smith's backup, but Lock became a free agent and ultimately signed with the Giants. That opened up a spot on the depth chart, which is how the Seahawks had room to trade for Howell.
No. 3 Jaren Hall
Smith and Hall are the only two quarterbacks on the Seahawks roster, but Seattle does have Hall on the practice squad in case anything happens. Hall played for the Vikings last season, playing in three games and throwing for 168 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.
