Sportsnaut
One month out from the NFL’s Nov. 4 trade deadline, the quarterback market is silent. On Saturday, CBS NFL Insider Jonathan Jones reported, “all is quiet on the major quarterback front across the league.” Backup quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Anthony Richardson were Week 1 starters just a year ago. Today, all three are holding clipboards, and it seems no deals are taking shape.
Teams have little reason to part with quarterbacks right now. Injuries are already piling up across the league. By the end of Week 5, at least 40 different quarterbacks will have started, tying the 2019 record. That reality makes clubs reluctant to deal a backup for a draft pick that does nothing to help on the field in 2025.
Money complicates things further. Cousins carries a $27.5 million guaranteed salary this season, the highest of any backup in football. Even if Atlanta wanted to explore a move, Cousins owns a no-trade clause and would have to approve any deal. Jones said that no one has even called to ask, which tells you where his market stands.
Richardson, meanwhile, is not being moved. The Colts drafted him fourth overall just three years ago and still see him as part of their future. Daniel Jones has stabilized the team after being named the starter, but Indianapolis insists Richardson is not trade bait. He is in year three of his rookie contract. While a fifth-year option feels unlikely at this point, GM Chris Ballard has been firm in saying Richardson stays.
Wilson might be the most tradable on paper. His contract is cheap, costing only the prorated portion of a $2 million base salary to any acquiring team, and the price in return would likely be a Day 3 pick. But the Giants are not actively shopping him and interest has not surfaced. New York also seems committed to keeping Jameis Winston, who signed a two-year deal in the offseason.
If there was a natural fit, it would be Cincinnati. Joe Burrow is out until December, and Jake Browning has been blown out twice as starter. But the Bengals do not make in-season trades. They are standing firm behind Browning and betting on Burrow’s return rather than chasing a short-term option.
Looking ahead, part of the calculus comes from the 2026 draft class. Scouts and executives across the league have not been impressed so far. No quarterback has separated as a clear top-five prospect, and the consensus is that the class looks thin. That could make proven veterans under contract into 2026 more valuable next spring than they are now.
For now, the phones are quiet. Unless another wave of injuries hits, no major quarterback trades are expected before the deadline. The league is holding its depth, and the market is frozen until the offseason.
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