Howell is an UFA in 2026 so it would not cost anything. For those who want to cut Dalton, that would be a 5.8M cap hit. They guaranteed 5.9M of Dalton's salary because they thought he was a good mentor for Bryce so the plan is obviously to keep them both in '26, which really means they plan to pick up the fifth year option in May. Adding a Sam Howell or third round draft pick in '26 makes sense even though it limits roster spots. Dalton is Bryce's security blanket.