Home / Sports / Quarterbacks Defy Expectations, Traded 3 Times in Under 4 Years
Quarterbacks Defy Expectations, Traded 3 Times in Under 4 Years
26 Aug
Summary
- Kenny Pickett and Sam Howell traded 3 times each in first 4 NFL seasons
- Pickett traded from Steelers to Eagles, Browns, Raiders
- Howell traded from Commanders to Seahawks, Vikings, Eagles
As of August 26th, 2025, two young NFL quarterbacks have made history by being traded three times each within their first four seasons in the league. Kenny Pickett, a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, and Sam Howell, a fifth-round selection of the Washington Commanders that same year, have both experienced a whirlwind of trades over the past three and a half years.
Pickett was initially drafted by the Steelers in 2022 but was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. Just this past March, he was then dealt to the Cleveland Browns before being acquired by the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday. Howell, on the other hand, was traded from the Commanders to the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, then to the Minnesota Vikings during the 2025 NFL Draft, and most recently to the Eagles this past Sunday.
This level of player movement is highly unusual in the NFL, as few players are typically traded more than once or twice in their entire careers. Notable exceptions include Hall of Famers like Eric Dickerson and Randy Moss, as well as wide receiver Brandin Cooks. However, Pickett and Howell have now surpassed even those frequent trade targets, cementing their place in league history as the only players in at least the last three decades to be traded three times before the start of their fourth NFL season.
