Sunday was a busy morning for the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback room, and the end result is Carson Wentz joining a different team for the fifth season in a row.
The Vikings traded quarterback Sam Howell and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick in return. The Vikings then signed Wentz to a contract, while the Eagles waived defensive back Lewis Cine.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero first reported the trade and ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported Wentz’s agreement with the Vikings.
Being on the move is nothing new for Wentz and Howell.
Since departing from the Eagles following the 2020 season, Wentz has played for the Indianapolis Colts (2021), Washington Commanders (2022), Los Angeles Rams (2023) and Kansas City Chiefs (2024).
As for Howell, he is accustomed to getting traded at this point:
This could be part of a bigger picture for Minnesota, as Schefter pointed out:
With Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games and Jalen Nailor dealing with an injury, the Vikings could use more depth at wide receiver alongside Justin Jefferson in the early portion of the season. Adam Thielen would be a familiar name after he played his first nine seasons for the NFC North team and reached back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2017 and 2018.
For now, though, the moves landed the Vikings a new backup quarterback in Wentz.
While Wentz is a journeyman at this point, there was a time when he was seen as Philadelphia’s franchise quarterback. The Eagles selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft, and he was an MVP candidate and Pro Bowler in his second season in the league.
However, that breakout season was cut short by a torn ACL, and he was on the sidelines when Nick Foles led Philadelphia to the Super Bowl title.
There were highs and lows from there for Wentz, who seemed to return to form in 2019 as he threw for 4,039 yards and 27 touchdowns only to then lead the league in interceptions in 2020. The Eagles traded him to the Colts before the 2021 season, and he put up solid numbers (3,563 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions) before bouncing around to the Commanders and Rams.
Wentz was a backup for the Rams and Chiefs the past two seasons, although he started seven games in 2022 for Washington. He struggled with consistency in those games and went 2-5 with 11 touchdown passes to nine interceptions.
The North Dakota State product made one start last season for Kansas City after it clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and went 10-of-17 for 98 yards in a blowout loss to the Denver Broncos.
In an ideal world for the Vikings, spot duty while J.J. McCarthy and the starters are resting after clinching a top playoff seed is the exact type of playing time Wentz will receive with this new contract as well.
But McCarthy is an unknown at this point after he missed his rookie season with injury, so this at least means there is a new veteran in place to help him adjust to the NFL level.
As for Howell, he will back up Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. He offers some experience as well after starting all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023, although he was just 4-13 in those contests and led the league with 21 interceptions.
Ideally for the Eagles, they won’t need to rely on him in important games.