Sam Howell

Howell signed a 1-year $2.5M deal with Dallas in March 2026, placing him behind Dak Prescott with no realistic path to snaps barring injury. His dynasty value is effectively zero unless Prescott gets hurt.

Since his 2023 Washington starting role, Howell has cycled through four teams (Seattle, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Dallas) in under two years — a clear signal that the league views him as a depth piece, not a viable starter.

Howell signed a 1-year, $2.5M deal into an open QB2 competition that Joe Milton leads (Milton has a year in Schottenheimer's system). The Athletic's Jon Machota projects Howell as the odd man out if Dallas keeps only two QBs.

Each successive backup signing narrows the window to reclaim a starting job. At 25, he still has time, but the pattern of short-term, low-value contracts suggests diminishing franchise confidence.

No standalone starting opportunity on the roster, and the 2026 draft added no QB capital — but that's neutral, not helpful, because Dak and Milton already block the room.

If Dak Prescott misses significant time, Howell steps into a Dallas offense with elite weapons and could temporarily spike in dynasty trade value. The scenario is low-probability but would be the single biggest catalyst.

At 25, Howell is not yet past the typical QB development window. A strong camp performance or an offseason trade to a starter-needy team in 2027 could reset his dynasty outlook entirely.