“The interceptions, I’ve just got to do a better job… I was trying to give us a chance. But I’ve got to play smarter football.” – Sam Howell, serving up self-awareness like a barista who just burned your latte. Let’s set the scene: It’s April 2025, and the Seattle Seahawks are doing their best impression of The Bachelor—except instead of roses, they’re handing out playbooks. New head coach Mike Macdonald, a man who looks like he could diagram a blitz in his sleep, is ready to swipe left on his $4M backup QB, Sam Howell.

Sam Howell’s NFL career? Let’s just say it’s been a vibe. Drafted in the 5th round by Washington in 2022, he’s tossed 22 TDs against 23 picks in 20 games, sporting a 77.5 passer rating. That’s roughly the same as your Wi-Fi signal during a thunderstorm. In 2024, his Seahawks audition was… brief: 5-of-14 for 24 yards and a pick. Oof. But hey, the man’s a walking paradox—a college legend (10,283 yards, 92 TDs at UNC) turned NFL Rorschach test. Is he a diamond-in-the-rough or a cautionary tale?

Macdonald, ever the pragmatist, isn’t waiting around to find out. After shipping Geno Smith to Las Vegas and signing Sam Darnold (aka “The Vikings’ Lazarus Project”), Seattle’s QB room feels like a Survivor casting call. And per Jeremy Fowler’s tweet, teams are circling Howell like seagulls around a French fry. But here’s the twist: The Hawks aren’t just dumping Howell—they’re eyeing a QB who’s survived more injuries than Grey’s Anatomy extras.

Meanwhile, Howell’s future dangles like a cliffhanger in Yellowstone. At $1.1M in 2025, he’s cheaper than a Starbucks franchise, but his 6-14 record as a starter? Yikes. Still, his college swagger (“Lane [Stadium] is the best atmosphere in CFB”) hints at untapped potential. Is he a reclamation project or trade bait? The answer’s murkier than Pete Carroll’s gum habit.

Tyler Shough: The NFL Draft’s most chaotic love story

Why? Because Tyler Shough—a 6’5” cannon-armed enigma with more plot twists than Stranger Things—is waiting in the wings. Imagine if Forrest Gump played quarterback. Shough’s career is a seven-year odyssey spanning Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville, with pit stops at ‘Broken Collarbone Blvd’ and ‘Fibula Fracture Lane.’ He’s a 4-star recruit who backed up Justin Herbert, got COVID-blocked, then transferred twice while collecting injuries like Pokémon cards.

Yet, here he is—2024’s dark-horse darling, a “surprise first-rounder” per NFL.com’s Tom Pellissero, who argues Shough’s “physical tangibles” (cannon arm, prototypical size) outweigh his Final Destination injury luck. “Shough has thrust himself into the next-tier conversation… many scouts rank him above [Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart].” – Pellissero, basically calling Shough the draft’s ‘hold my beer’ candidate.

Hawks are stuck in NFL purgatory—too mid for playoffs, too scrappy to tank. Trading Howell and drafting Shough isn’t just a move; it’s a vibe shift. Think Ted Lasso meets Moneyball: Darnold’s the bridge, Shough’s the lottery ticket. But here’s the rub: If Shough goes Round 1, Seattle’s stuck choosing between reaching for hype or letting their crush slow-dance with someone else.

But let’s keep it a buck: Drafting Shough is like investing in crypto. The ceiling? Moon. The floor? Mariana Trench. He’s thrown 7,820 yards in 32 starts—stats that scream “small sample size” louder than a mic drop at a library. Yet, in a QB class thinner than the plot of Riverdale, Shough’s upside has teams whispering what if like they’re in a Taylor Swift chorus.

The Verdict: Poetry in Motion or Disasterpiece Theater? The Seahawks’ QB saga isn’t just football—it’s a haiku written in cleat marks. Howell’s journey from UNC hero to NFL question mark. Shough’s rise from injury-riddled nomad to draft darling. Macdonald’s gamble: betting on chaos like Walter White in the RV.

As draft night looms, Seattle’s war room faces a Choose Your Own Adventure moment. Do they hitch their wagon to Shough’s tantalizing upside, or pray Howell’s 92 college TDs flicker back to life? Either way, it’s peak NFL drama—a league where “trust the process” collides with “YOLO” every Thursday night.