Bumpus: The best-case scenario for Seahawks QB Sam Howell in 2024

Apr 12, 2024, 1:12 PM | Updated: 1:12 pm

Sam Howell of the Washington Commanders scrambles against the Seattle Seahawks in 2023. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

The Seattle Seahawks have a new backup quarterback for the 2024 season as they traded with the Washington Commanders for Sam Howell after Drew Lock signed with the New York Giants in free agency.

Could the Seattle Seahawks wait until next year to draft a QB?

Howell is just 24 years old and started every game for Washington last year. There were highs, shown by the fact that he threw for nearly 4,000 yards with 21 touchdowns, but he also threw the most interceptions and took the most sacks of any QB in the NFL in 2023. Howell was also benched multiple times.

It’s been made clear that Howell will be the backup to Geno Smith, who returns to Seattle for his sixth year with the Seahawks and his third as the team’s starter. So what does that mean for Howell in 2024?

During Friday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports, former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus broke down what the best-case scenario for Howell is this upcoming season.

“The best-case scenario for Sam Howell is for him to go out and ball out during this preseason. To ball out,” Bumpus said. “I mean, he’s got to have six touchdowns to one interception and 300-400 yards. He’s got to make it clear, ‘I’m the best backup, or one of the best backups, in this league.'”

That’s key for a few reasons, Bumpus said, one of which is potential trade value.

“Because then what’s gonna happen is guys are gonna get hurt throughout the season, that trade deadline has been pushed back a week, (teams are) gonna hit up the Seahawks and say, ‘What about that Sam kid? What do you guys want for him?'” Bumpus said. “Well, ‘Give us a third-round pick back or give us someone else.’ The best-case scenario is for Sam Howell to look great during preseason and sit down during the season and stay healthy so then his value just goes up and to have some of these guys that are (with new teams) kind of struggle a bit.”

Backup quarterbacks have never been more prevalent than they’ve been the last two years, where 68 quarterbacks started at least one game in 2022 and 66 in 2023. If quarterbacks on rocky terms struggle, or if quarterbacks on new teams don’t get off to the best of starts, Howell could be an intriguing trade target, Bumpus said.

“The more those guys struggle, the more attractive (Howell) is going to look,” Bumpus said. “Even if he doesn’t get traded or picked up (this season), that helps his value for next year. So for Sam Howell … go out and do your thing during the preseason, you sit down and be a good backup and someone’s gonna grab you. If it ain’t the Seahawks, you go and do your thing.”