Vikings miraculously find a taker for Sam Howell, sign Carson Wentz as backup QB
But how long will the veteran be the No. 2 quarterback to J.J. McCarthy?
Kevin O’Connell is known as the quarterback whisperer because of his ability to elevate the performance of a guy like Kirk Cousins or a lost cause like Sam Darnold. Daniel Jones, a former first-round pick, elected to sign with the Vikings’ practice squad last November after being released by the Giants because of O’Connell’s reputation.
But that doesn’t mean O’Connell is interested in every quarterback who comes along. O’Connell admitted as much in 2024, saying he had been labeled the “quarterback killer” by colleagues because of how selective he can be about the position.
That’s why it was hard to believe that O’Connell had signed off with any amount of enthusiasm on the draft-weekend decision to trade for Sam Howell to serve as J.J. McCarthy’s backup. Watching Howell in the Vikings’ offseason workouts, he underwhelmed at nearly every turn. There was the occasional crisp pass but there were far too many poor decisions that resulted in turnover-worthy plays.
Was this really who O’Connell wanted as the No. 2 guy behind a first-year starter in McCarthy?
The answer came Sunday morning when the Vikings traded Howell and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fifth-round pick in 2026 and seventh-round selection in 2027. The fact Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah got anything for Howell should make him the leading candidate for NFL executive of the year.
The Vikings replaced Howell by reaching an agreement with veteran quarterback Carson Wentz, who will be playing for his sixth team in six seasons. Wentz wasn’t with a team during training camp, but has familiarity with O’Connell’s system after spending 2023 playing for O’Connell’s mentor, Sean McVay, during his season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Wentz, 32, was the second pick in the 2016 draft by the Eagles out of North Dakota State and finished third in MVP voting in 2017 after helping Philadelphia to a 13-3 start. But Wentz tore two knee ligaments in December of that season and watched Nick Foles lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory over New England at U.S. Bank Stadium. Wentz spent three more seasons with the Eagles before beginning his tour of the NFL.
He played for Indianapolis in 2021, Washington in 2022, the Rams in 2023 and Kansas City last season. He has made nine starts in the past three seasons, including seven with Washington.
Wentz likely will be listed second on the quarterback depth chart when it’s released. But that doesn’t mean he will remain in that spot all season. While Howell looked like a poor acquisition, Max Brosmer has proven to be a revelation.