Cowboys Sign Ex-Vikings QB
He didn’t last long in Minnesota — or Philadelphia — but former Vikings quarterback Sam Howell has found new employment, signing with the Dallas Cowboys this week, on tap for duty behind Dak Prescott, the established starter.
Howell barely unpacked in Minnesota, and now he is off to Dallas.
Howell will now presumably duke it out with the big-armed Joe Milton at training camp in July and August.
Howell Joins a Crowded Backup Quarterback Mix in Dallas
Remember the brief Sam Howell era in Minneapolis?
Howell to DAL
It’s a one-year arrangement for Howell in the heart of Texas.
The Athletic‘s Jon Machota wrote Tuesday, “The Dallas Cowboys agreed to a one-year deal with former Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell on Tuesday night, a team source confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN first reported the deal. Adding Howell is somewhat surprising considering that the Cowboys already have franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, the NFL’s highest-paid player, Joe Milton and Will Grier in the QB room.”
“Milton was Dallas’ backup last season after the Cowboys traded a fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots for him and a seventh-rounder. The addition of Howell means competition for Milton at the backup spot. Howell has started 18 NFL games, all coming with the Washington Commanders. Milton has only played in five NFL games.”
Howell to Dallas is just a little strange, as other, better QB2 options remain available on the open market, such as Jimmy Garoppolo and Tyrod Taylor.
Career to Date for Howell
Howell has participated in 20 games as a pro, including 18 starts in four seasons, while his teams have notched a horrid 5-13 record on his watch. In 2023, for the Commanders, Howell started all 17 games as a second-year passer and banked 3,946 passing yards and 21 touchdowns — along with 21 interceptions.
The Commanders kicked him out after drafting LSU’s Jayden Daniels, as Howell landed in Seattle, where his career hasn’t quite recovered.
In Minnesota, former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded for Howell during last year’s draft, a low-risk deal for a volume passer. The experiment flopped. Howell played foolishly in the preseason, and four months after Adofo-Mensah’s trade, he turned around and shipped Howell to Philadelphia for a late-rounder.
The situation paved the way for Carson Wentz to sign with the Vikings, serve as the QB2 in 2025 behind J.J. McCarthy, and later start five games before succumbing to a torn labrum.
Here’s Powell’s NFL resume to date:
- Washington Commanders (2022–2023)
- Seattle Seahawks (2024)
- Minnesota Vikings (2025)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2025)
- Dallas Cowboys (2026-now)
Vikings skipper Kevin O’Connell said about Howell last year before the final trade, “We still think that there’s a lot in Sam’s game to develop, but also see where he can take it within our system, within our quarterback development plan here in Minnesota.”
“We feel really good about Josh McCown [coaching] that quarterbacks room, and all the talent, and the things we’ve acquired — whether it’s up front; the skill guys we do have that we feel so great about, and then just our system going into Year 4, the evolution of that becoming as quarterback friendly as we can make it, while also challenging defenses and trying to do the things that it takes to win football games.”
Those were best-laid plans for Howell because his game was not developed in Minnesota.
QB2 Training Camp Competition
The Cowboys also have the aforementioned Grier on the extended roster on a futures contract, and he projects as a “camp body” and possible practice squader in 2026.
Howell will face Milton for the QB2 job this summer, a man known for his fancy NFL Combine performance a couple of years ago. Milton habitually shines in the preseason, so much so that some think he could translate to the regular season. There’s just no evidence to support the theory to date.
Howell vs. Milton this summer could truly go either way. Dallas could also use a mid- or late-round pick on a quarterback, as neither option is too inspiring as a QB2 behind Prescott, who has battled injuries in the past.
Other Free Agency Moves for DAL
The Cowboys have been moderately busy this week, adding these free agents so far:
Sam Howell, QB (PHI → DAL)
P.J. Locke, S (DEN → DAL)
Otito Ogbonnia, DL (LAC → DAL)
Jalen Thompson, S (ARI → DAL)
Sam Williams, ED (DAL → DAL)
Tyrus Wheat, ED (PIT → DAL)
Dallas also traded a 4th-Round pick to the Green Bay Packers for EDGE Rashan Gary.
Oddsmakers expect Dallas to win 8.5 games in 2026 — the same forecast as the Vikings.
Howell will turn 26 in September. If he eventually signs with the New York Giants, he’ll complete the NFC East trifecta, which is pretty rare.
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