Quarterback Sam Howell excited by move to Seahawks

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell speaks with reporters after a practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash. on May 30, 2024. (Curtis Crabtree / FOX 13 Seattle)

RENTON, Wash. - When quarterback Sam Howell started to understand that he was on the trade block with the Washington Commanders, a move to the Seattle Seahawks was one of his preferred destinations.

"I think once I got the idea that me being traded was a possibility, Seattle was one of those places that I wanted to come be a part of," Howell said on Thursday. "I'm just super excited to be here and I think Coach Mike [Macdonald]'s done a great job of starting to build this thing, so this is definitely one of those places that even coming out of the draft I wanted to come to. I just love being in this city. I love being a part of this team and I'm just excited to get to work."

Howell passed for 3,946 yards with 21 touchdowns and a league-high 21 interceptions while being sacked a league-high 65 times. Howell completed 63.4 percent of his passes with a league-high 612 pass attempts.

The Seahawks acquired Howell in March in a deal that saw four draft picks swapped between Seattle and Washington. After starting all 17 games last season for the Washington Commanders, Howell will now shift into a backup role in Seattle behind incumbent starter Geno Smith.

"I think in this league to be able to play, you got to compete and that's what I'm willing to do no matter what the situation is, no matter who the starter is," Howell said.

"If I'm the starter, I'm coming to compete every single day and I think Geno has been great. I've learned a lot from Geno and he's a great player. I have a lot of respect for him and everything he's been through in his career, just the way he's always battled and bounced back. I'm excited to be here with Geno and learn from him and just compete with him and we battle every single day."

Howell played quite well in Seattle last year in a 29-26 loss to the Seahawks. Howell completed 29-of-44 passes for 312 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

"Sam is a really, really talented young player," Smith said of Howell last week. "He played a lot of football to be that young. Did a lot of great things and showed a lot of great things on tape. For me, the whole starter/backup thing, I don't ever wrap my mind around that. It's about that group. The quarterback group has to be a collective unit. Whoever goes in the game has to have the support of the other guys. So for me, it's as you about us learning and working together and pushing each other together. That can only provide us with an excellent chance to get better."

Smith took that same approach over the last two seasons with Drew Lock, who signed with the New York Giants this offseason. Smith was supportive of Lock when Smith missed a start to injury late last season against the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Geno’s the man," Howell said. "Obviously, I've always been a fan of his, just being on the other side, watching him, the way he goes about his business. He's a true professional and just the way he practices each and every day, just how committed he is to his craft and how committed he is to this team and just how much he puts into it. Those are things that you really don't know until you work right beside somebody. So it's been fun to watch him do that and learn from him, and I think he's a great player."

With the move to Seattle, Howell gets to play in an offense alongside a plethora of skill position talents: a trio of star receiving options in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a talented running back in Ken Walker III, and capable tight ends in Noah Fant and Pharaoh Brown. That group gets to play in an offense designed by coordinator Ryan Grubb, who helped unlock tremendous production from a stacked Washington Huskies team the last two seasons.

Howell said it's an offense a quarterback wants to play in.

"I think just how aggressive he is and just how much he wants to push the ball down the field, and that's kind of similar to what I've done in the past and it's definitely the offense that I feel like I want to play in," Howell said.

The Seahawks' faith in Howell is one reason why they didn't make a move to select a quarterback in the NFL Draft. They believe Howell is a guy every bit as talented as the quarterbacks that would have been available to them in the latter stages of the draft.

It's still early in the offseason for the Seahawks as they work through OTAs, but Macdonald has liked what he's seen from Howell so far.

"I think he's representative of where we are at as a football team," Macdonald said. "Sam has improved every time we've come out here. It's really exciting.

"He's thrown the ball really well. Today he made some good decisions in some situational work that was exciting to see with only going over it in one day. Football intelligence is high. Obviously, his ability is what it needs to be. He's right there. I think he mirrors where we are as a team right now. We're excited about Sam."

Notes:

– Head coach Mike Macdonald said that linebacker Jerome Baker isn't expected back with the team until training camp opens in July. Baker had surgery to address an injured wrist, and is dealing with some lower body ailments as well that will keep him sidelined until camp.

– Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a standout day, making several catches throughout practice. Defenders are limited in their ability to contest plays during this portion of the offseason, but Smith-Njigba created plenty of separation for many of the catches.

– Guard Anthony Bradford (ankle) and TE A.J. Barner (hamstring) were in attendance, but did not participate.

Wide receiver DK Metcalf, tackle Abe Lucas (knee), defensive linemen Leonard Williams, Dre'Mont Jones and Cameron Young, linebackers Tyrel Dodson, Derick Hall, Baker, and Drake Thomas, cornerbacks Coby Bryant and Lance Boykin and safety Jerrick Reed II, all did not appear to be in attendance.