Sunday's surprising-but-not decision to sign Wentz and trade Sam Howell represents an admission by the Vikings that they should have just signed Wentz in the first place, and not traded for Howell. Wentz arrives cold; if he'd been signed in April, he would have had the benefit of the offseason program, training camp, and the preseason.

Carson Wentz is back in the NFL and Sam Howell is on the move again. The Minnesota Vikings are signing Wentz to back up quarterback J.J. McCarthy and trading Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles, two people with knowledge of the decisions told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The Vikings continue to adjust their quarterback room ahead of the 2025 regular season with the release of a veteran.