Who Should I Start? Sam Howell or Riley Leonard

Tuesday, June 17, 12:11 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Howell was usually the second QB to rotate into team drills during offseason workouts behind J.J. McCarthy, which suggests that Howell is the front-runner for the No. 2 job. However, nothing he did this spring indicated that he will push McCarthy to start in 2025, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "He's kind of like J.J.," head coach Kevin O'Connell said, "where he's made some throws where you're like, 'Man, probably shouldn't have made that throw. But I now know on this play, I've got to be careful of this.' And it's all growth." Behind Howell is Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. The Vikings acquired Howell in a trade this offseason with Seattle. The former fifth-rounder by the Commanders has completed 62.6% of his passes for 4,139 yards, 22 touchdowns and 23 picks in 20 games (18 starts) in his three NFL seasons.

Saturday, April 26, 4:28 PM

The Indianapolis Colts have selected Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard with the 189th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. A Duke transfer, Leonard racked up 2,861 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions during his one and only season with the Fighting Irish. He also rushed for 906 yards and another 17 touchdowns on the ground. Leonard is capable of making big, accurate throws down the field, but he can also keep defenses guessing with his ability to roll out of the pocket and make plays. He joins a Colts quarterback room that features two other mobile quarterbacks, Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. Leonard likely won't earn playing time in Week 1, but with glaring quarterback questions in Indianapolis, he could push for an opportunity to earn snaps down the stretch.