ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter was a guest on the Wyman and Bob show a few days ago on Seattle Sports radio. Schefter shared some thoughts about where the Seahawks are heading this year, saying he sees them as a playoff contender. He also commented on the quarterback situation, where he thinks the franchise believes in Geno Smith, who has an advantage over Sam Howell when it comes to familiarity with the skill players.
Smith remains firmly at the top of the team’s depth chart at quarterback going into the 2024 season However, Schefter also says the front office has had their eye on Howell for some time:
“But I also think that Sam Howell is somebody that they’ve liked for an awful long time. And Sam Howell is a guy who, when you talk to people around the league, they believe in his abilities and talent and I think the Seahawks did as well. And I remember his name coming up within that organization last season during the year as a guy that they were intrigued with. And I think that they continue to be intrigued by the guy.”
This is a pretty familiar refrain we have heard about other quarterbacks who have gone on to become superstars. Years later, we learned the Seahawks were big fans of both Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, who are now the top two starters in the league. It’s easy to claim that in hindsight, though.
Clearly they do like Howell, though – otherwise they likely would have drafted a quarterback in the loaded 2024 class. The only way to find out if Howell has a higher ceiling than we saw last season with the Commanders is to give him serious playing time.
Looking ahead, there’s a possibility Seattle will want to give Howell a chance to lead their offense under Ryan Grubb. If that doesn’t end up happening in 2024, the team could save a ton of cap room by cutting Geno Smith ($25 million) next offseason.
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