Grant Paulsen loved seeing the Kenny Pickett deal to the Eagles, because it appeared Washington got better value for Sam Howell than Pittsburgh did for Pickett, and Seattle doesn’t think they overpaid.
But that said…will we regret the Howell trade somewhere down the line?
“John Schneider last night was talking about how there were other teams in, and they were super nervous they wouldn't get him, but he thinks that he's gonna be the guy after Geno Smith,” GP said. “But perhaps four teams were trying to trade for Sam Howell…does it give you any pause about how quickly the Commanders were willing to not just draft a quarterback at No. 2 – which I've said all along draft a QB No. 2 and have Sam as the backup – but also sign Marcus Mariota, who's not particularly good, and we'll just trade Sam Howell and move on from him altogether. Any chance they end up regretting the move, or do you think we'll be applauding it for great value down the road?”
Frank in Ashburn called in and said the Mariota signing in general was the problem, and that Sam could have a better year and save the Commanders $5 million – but what is better?
“When you say he could have a better year than Marcus, you mean at holding a clipboard and wearing a visor? Because neither of them are going to play as long as the rookie quarterback doesn't get hurt – and if it's Jayden Daniels, I do worry about that a little bit, and Mariota himself can't really stay healthy, which makes trading Sam Howell interesting as well.”
And that led Grant to this:
“I think the value was so good that they couldn't pass it up, but I would love to ask Adam Peters if he traded Sam Howell because he wanted to, because the eval they have is just that he's never gonna be a particularly good player for them, or was it because you felt like the offer from Seattle was just too good not to say yes when he's gonna be your third quarterback,” GP said.
He hopes it’s the latter.
“If so I get it, but it it's the first one where they're going, this isn't really for me, I don't love that,” Grant said. “If you're taking money into the equation, Mariota at $6 million or Howell at $1 million, it's not even close for me, Sam Howell every time. If you take money out of the equation, I think it's probably a toss-up, but I would roll with Howell because he's got more upside and potential. Who does a better job for me for a month starting in September? Debatable. Who would I rather have start 17 games next year? Absolutely it’s Sam Howell.”
But, to the point about the role…
“That's not really what they were debating. I think they wanted a mentor – something for the record that Marcus Mariota's really never been, other than for a handful of weeks with Desmond Ridder, and remember, when he got benched for Desmond Ridder, he basically went AWOL and left the team altogether,” GP said. “I don't know if he was the best mentor in the second half of the season for Desmond Ridder when he was busy quitting football. But that's why he's here: they are paying him as a mentor. I guess you got David Blough as a quarterbacks coach, who's basically that guy as well, but it do make the Mariota decision that much more curious to me.”
And then, the final conclusion:
“Do you think there's a chance Washington regrets trading Howell? Do you care at all that it seems like the Seahawks are giddy that John Schneider thinks they might have just got their starter, and do you care that four teams were trying to trade for him?” GP asked. “Or, you saw it with your eyes, you know what he is already, and you feel good about what Washington is doing? Maybe you're like me and actually think Sam Howell is a potential back end of the league starter; I think he's a really good backup, and he could be the 29th or 30th best starter in the league in a couple of years, maybe 25th as a ceiling, wouldn't surprise me – but I got the second pick, so it's really not that important to me what he becomes.”