After years with questions about draft capital heading into draft week, the Minnesota Vikings had nine picks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, putting themselves in a great position to bolster the roster this weekend.
A part of the additional capital came with the Sam Howell trade last year, which came just four months after Minnesota acquired the quarterback. After moving back 30 spots to acquire Howell in the 2025 NFL Draft, they sent him out to Philadelphia to acquire additional draft capital in the 2026
and 2027 drafts.
That led to them signing Carson Wentz to fill the void at backup quarterback. Now, while Minnesota’s season didn’t go as expected, that trade got them some extra capital, which they can use at their disposal this weekend.
With the 2026 NFL Draft upon us, let’s revisit the Howell trade and see how it fared for both sides.
Original terms of the 2025 Sam howell trade between Eagles and Vikings
- Philadelphia Eagles receive: QB Sam Howell, 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 211)
- Minnesota Vikings receive: 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 163), 2027 seventh-round pick
Who did the Vikings take with the picks from the Sam Howell trade?
When the Vikings pick at 163, we will let you know.
Who did the Eagles take with the picks from the Sam Howell trade?
The Eagles ended up trading the pick they received from the Vikings to the Baltimore Ravens in the Jaire Alexander trade.
How did Sam Howell play for the Eagles in 2025?
Howell did not play in a single game last season, and he didn’t end up winning the backup quarterback job, which went to Tanner McKee instead.
Howell was frequently the team’s No. 3 emergency quarterback, and his services weren’t needed as Jalen Hurts started 16 games, while Tanner McKee made a start in a meaningless Week 18 game.
How did the Vikings fare in the Sam Howell trade?
Well, Minnesota initially flipped the No. 142 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft for Sam Howell and the No. 172 pick, which was the equivalent of an early fifth and late fifth pick swap.
Here, in trading Howell months later, they had a very similar deal, but got more in return. They swapped fifth and sixth-round picks this time, while adding a future seventh as well. Now, you can debate the value with the difference in depth between the 2025 and 2026 NFL Drafts, but that’s pretty good asset management from the Vikings.
Now, their quarterback situation wasn’t ideal in 2025, but Howell realistically wasn’t going to improve the outcome that much. Now, they’re sitting in a better spot in the 2026 NFL Draft and have ample capital to be flexible this weekend.
