PHILADELPHIA (WBTV) – A current NFL quarterback from Union County has been traded for the second time this year.
Sam Howell, who starred at Sun Valley High School in Indian Trail, has been traded from the Minnesota Vikings to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Vikings confirmed Sunday morning.
Minnesota had just acquired Howell from the Seattle Seahawks via trade on April 26. Now less than four months later, the 24-year-old quarterback will make his way over to the defending Super Bowl champions.
The latest trade sends Howell and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to Philadelphia, in return for a 2026 fifth-rounder and a 2027 seventh-round choice.
Howell had been the second-string quarterback for the Vikings throughout training camp and the preseason, behind second-year player J.J. McCarthy, who is set to take over the starting job in 2025. Shortly after the team announced the Howell trade, the Vikings said they signed Carson Wentz, who will likely take over as McCarthy’s primary backup.
Over in Philadelphia, Howell will join a quarterback room that includes Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord. It is likely that only Hurts, Howell and McKee will be on the 53-man roster once final cuts are made this week. NFL teams have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26 to trim their rosters.
With the Eagles, Howell will join a team loaded with Charlotte-area talent.
Star defensive lineman Jordan Davis played at Mallard Creek High School, while up-and-coming running back Will Shipley went to Weddington before he played collegiately at Clemson. A pair of offensive linemen in Landon Dickerson and Kendall Lamm also are from the Charlotte region.
Howell’s career up to this point
After he starred at Sun Valley as a high-schooler, Howell went on to play at the University of North Carolina. There, he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2019, and was named to the All-ACC second team in 2020.
During his three years with the Tar Heels, Howell passed for 10,283 yards and 92 touchdowns. He added 17 more rushing scores and caught two touchdown passes.
The 6-foot-1 quarterback started his NFL career with the Washington Commanders after they chose him in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He spent the 2022 and 2023 campaigns there, and threw for more than 4,100 yards and 22 touchdowns across 18 games. He ran for six more touchdowns as a Commander.
The first time Howell was involved in a trade came in March 2024 when Washington sent him to Seattle. Howell saw action in only two games for the Seahawks, and threw just 14 passes.
Across two preseason games in 2025 — all with the Vikings — Howell completed 12 of 18 passes for 118 yards. He did not throw for a touchdown — but did run for one — and threw one interception.
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