Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

NFL Quarterback Carousel Day – Carson Wentz Lands in Minnesota as Vikings Trade Sam Howell to Eagles

Vikings switch up their backup quarterback with trade and free agent signing

Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Preseason football is officially over, and that means the next big task at hand is finalizing the 53-man rosters for each team. The deadline for which is August 26, and in a bid to put in the final pieces, teams are now scrambling for last minute trades and free agent signings.

Sunday ended up being a big day for trades, but most importantly, it was a big day for quarterbacks as the Minnesota Vikings finalized a trade for backup Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles, and followed it up by signing free agent Carson Wentz.

Eagles Acquire Howell From Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings traded quarterback Sam Howell and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles, as per NFL insiders Tom Pellisero and Ian Rapoport. In return, the Vikings have received a fifth-round pick in 2026 and a seventh-round selection in 2027.

Trade! The #Vikings are sending QB Sam Howell to the #Eagles, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Minnesota gets a 2026 5th-round pick and a 2027 7th. Philadelphia gets a 2026 6th and Howell, an experienced backup for Jalen Hurts while Tanner McKee deals with an injury. pic.twitter.com/RVRam0CmbH
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 24, 2025

The Eagles were reportedly looking to sign Howell, but the latest thumb injury to backup Tanner McKee may have also played a significant role in this decision. Regardless, Howell is now part of an Eagles team that already has Jalen Hurts, Kyle McCord, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and McKee at the position.

The 24-year-old’s career in the NFL has gone on a downward spiral. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Washington Commanders, Howell started just one game as a rookie.

In 2023, he started all 17 games, but with a 4-13 record that included 21 touchdowns and an equal number of interceptions, he was traded to the Seahawks in 2024, where he became a backup. Earlier this year, in April, Seattle traded the former Commander to the Vikings.

The North Carolina Tar Heel alum played both of the first two Vikings preseason games this year, in which he didn’t impress. Howell finished the two games with just 118 passing yards on 12 of 18 passing with no touchdowns and an interception.

Vikings Sign Carson Wentz

Just after officially trading Howell to the Eagles, Pelissero also announced that Minnesota signed veteran Carson Wentz as their backup quarterback to J.J. McCarthy. The former second overall pick from the 2016 NFL draft has now joined his fifth team in as many years.

So as the backup quarterback world turns two days before cutdown …

🏈Sam Howell is now headed to the #Eagles in a trade to back up Jalen Hurts

🏈Veteran QB Carson Wentz is signing with the #Vikings to back up J.J. McCarthy pic.twitter.com/TamuLpbUi0
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 24, 2025

Commencing his professional career as a starting quarterback with the Eagles, Wentz has become a regular backup over the past three seasons. In 2024, he backed up Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City and became a free agent following the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss.

The Vikings seemed unimpressed with what they had with backups Howell and Brett Rypien, and that could be the reason for signing Wentz, who is surely a quality signing in case McCarthy were to get injured.

While these moves should not matter in the grand scheme of things, as both are backup signal callers, anything can happen in a contact heavy sport such as football. Having a solid backup available on the roster should the need arise is also essential. If called upon, it will be interesting to see how Wentz and Howell fare for their new teams.

Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Carson Wentz

Minnesota Vikings

NFL

Philadelphia Eagles

Sam Howell

Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!