Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Sam Howell

Wednesday, March 12, 2:18 PM

Veteran free-agent quarterback Marcus Mariota is signing a one-year deal to return to the Washington Commanders, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans spent last season with Washington and primarily backed up Jayden Daniels. Mariota threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns in three games a season ago. While Mariota clearly has no path to the starting job, he will be on the fantasy football radar in deep Superflex or two-QB leagues as a deep bench stash. Should Daniels have to miss any time next season, Mariota would have at least low-end QB2 upside playing with wideouts Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. along with tight end Zach Ertz in Kliff Kingsbury's offense.

Monday, April 21, 11:02 PM

The Seattle Seahawks are open to trading quarterback Sam Howell and have received inquiries from teams interested in landing the backup signal-caller, according to sources. The interest comes after Seattle reunited with former backup Drew Lock last week. Sam Darnold is the starter, but the Seahawks also have Jaren Hall as their No. 4 QB. General manager John Schneider said last week that the team is prepared to have Howell and Lock compete for the backup job behind Darnold this summer. Seattle acquired Howell in a trade last March with the Washington Commanders, giving up third- and fifth-round picks in exchange for fourth- and sixth-round picks. The 24-year-old didn't look great at all in relief of Geno Smith in December after he started all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023, throwing 21 touchdowns and a league-high 21 interceptions.