Former Commanders starting QB drawing significant trade interest according to NFL insider

The Washington Commanders spent more than two decades attempting to find their franchise QB. 

Under Daniel Snyder’s tenure owning the NFL franchise from 1999-2023, Washington started 25 different quarterbacks in what felt like a never-ending search to find a signal caller that could lead them to championships. 

From Rex Grossman, to trading for Donovan McNabb and Carson Wentz or giving up a haul to draft Robert Griffin III, the Commanders struck out time after time. 

But it’s a new day in D.C. and after Snyder was eventually forced to sell the team, it didn’t take long for the new ownership group to hire the right people — and let them do their jobs — which resulted in the Commanders landing on the coveted QB of the future. 

With the second overall pick last April, Washington selected former LSU QB Jayden Daniels and as a rookie in 2024, Daniels put together a historic rookie campaign, shattering multiple NFL records along the way. He was also the focal point of a team that shocked the league and finished with a (12-5) record and made a run to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991. 

Just one year earlier in 2023, the Washington Commanders finished with a (4-13) record with Ron Rivera as the team’s head coach and Sam Howell as the starting QB. Washington drafted Howell in 2022 in the fifth-round and he started all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023. 

While Washington only won just four games with Howell as the starter, the former UNC QB showed flashes of potential and thrived in a few big moments with one of the worst rosters in the NFL. 

Ultimately, new Commanders GM Adam Peters decided to trade Howell to the Seattle Seahawks last offseason — and in 2024 with Geno Smith as the starter — he held the backup role for the NFC West squad. 

With all the quarterback shakeups this offseason and the Seahawks signing Sam Darnold as their clear starter for 2025, there are new reports that Howell is garnering significant trade interest from several NFL teams. 

ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler broke the news that there was interest from teams in trading for Howell. 

Fowler reported that Seattle has heard from multiple teams interested in trading for backup quarterback and the Seahawks are "open" to trading Howell after signing Drew Lock last week.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider indicated Thursday that he expects Lock and Howell to compete for the QB2 spot, and also that he hasn't ruled out targeting a quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft, per Seattle Sports' Cameron Van Til.

“We have four guys that we really like. … It doesn’t preclude us from doing anything in the draft either, in figuring out what’s going on there," Schneider said Thursday, per Van Til.

Schneider added: "To have Sam Howell and Drew kind of competing for that second spot is a pretty good deal for us.”