Seahawks QB Sam Howell confident in ability to play consistent, smarter football if ‘opportunity’ arises

Sam Howell has joined Seattle as a backup, but he remains confident in his ability to correct what went wrong in Washington if the opportunity to play arises.

After starting all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023 and finishing 4-13, the third-year player was dealt to the Seahawks, where he recognises and accepts his new job as QB2 behind Geno Smith, despite his desire to improve.

“Obviously Geno’s still the guy, and I’m gonna try to do everything I can to just come in and work and try to get better,” Howell said about Brock and Salk on Wednesday, according to Seattle Sports. “And I need to be a good teammate, support Geno, and do whatever I can to help the team win. But, at the same time, I’m always trying to compete, and every time I step out on the pitch, I want to show these guys what I’m capable of.”

The areas for development are evident, and Howell’s status as Washington’s full-season starter last year is somewhat deceiving.

He was replaced and outplayed by Jacoby Brissett in back-to-back games in Weeks 15 and 16, after which Brissett was designated the team’s starting quarterback for Week 17 before sustaining a hamstring injury in practice.

The troubles for Howell stemmed from hero-ball tendencies, as the former fifth-round choice led the NFL in interceptions by three. The hitches occurred primarily down the stretch, rather than early on, when he was still adjusting to the game’s speed. After only one game with multiple interceptions in his first ten games of the season — albeit the lone one was his biggest flop overall, a four-INT loss to the Bills in Week 3 — Howell threw an interception in each of his final seven games, four of which featured two or more picks.