Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) drops back to pass against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Oct. 26, 2025.

The NFL already saw one in-season quarterback trade when the Cleveland Browns sent Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals in a rare deal between divisional rivals. Could we see another one before the 2025 NFL trade deadline?

In truth, it may not be likely. There's a paucity of quality quarterback trade candidates available, and even fewer teams that are in legitimate need of a potential starting option.

One could make a case the Minnesota Vikings could use a veteran backup to challenge J.J. McCarthy after losing Carson Wentz for the season with a shoulder injury. But outside of Kevin O'Connell's squad, few teams profile as obvious landing spots for quarterbacks.

Still, there's a handful of potential trade targets NFL teams could consider if they want to make a move at quarterback. Here's a look at the top available quarterbacks ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline.

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

Cousins has long been part of trade speculation after losing his job to Michael Penix Jr. at the end of the 2024 NFL season. Nonetheless, the Falcons have been steadfast in holding onto the 37-year-old as a high-end backup.

Could that change at the 2025 NFL trade deadline? ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted Cousins – who is playing in the second year of a four-year, $180 million contract and has a full no-trade clause – "would need injuries at the quarterback position to spark a market" for his services.

Cousins has a 0-1 record in one start this season, a 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and has completed 68.3% of his passes for 202 yards across his limited action. He led the NFL with 16 interceptions during the 2024 season, while completing 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Russell Wilson, New York Giants

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported after Russell Wilson's Week 4 benching he was "expected to emerge as a trade candidate" ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline.

The reason? Wilson is cheap relative to other available quarterbacks with starting experience. He inked a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Giants during the offseason, but $8.5 million of that salary has already been paid via signing and workout bonuses. As such, any team acquiring Wilson would take on only a prorated portion of his $2 million base salary for the season.

Wilson completed a career-low 58.9% of his passes for 786 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions before being benched in favor of Jaxson Dart. The 36-year-old isn't the player he once was, but he remains one of the league's best deep-ball throwers.

All three of Wilson's touchdowns this season have come on throws of 20-plus yards down the field while his "Big Time Throw" percentage of 6.5% ranks fourth-best among quarterbacks with at least 10 dropbacks this season, per Pro Football Focus. That, plus his 121-80-1 record as a starter, could convince a quarterback-needy team to take a flier on Wilson.

Jameis Winston, New York Giants

Like Wilson, Winston has been the subject of trade speculation. The 31-year-old veteran has been buried behind Dart and Wilson on New York's depth chart and is playing on a reasonable two-year, $8 million contract.

Winston, who was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, has a 36-51 record as a starter and has completed 61.2% of his career passes for 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns and 111 interceptions. He is known for being reckless and turnover-prone at times, but his gunslinger mentality also makes him a big-time playmaker.

Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

Colts general manager Chris Ballard was adamant his team wasn't going to trade Richardson after the third-year quarterback lost the team's starting job to Daniel Jones. That could change with Jones playing at the highest level of his career and potentially lining himself up for a long-term extension.

Richardson has struggled with accuracy throughout his NFL career, completing just 50.6% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but his raw talent is undeniable. He has a cannon arm and elite mobility, which could make him an intimidating dual-threat quarterback if he can just improve his accuracy.

Richardson is dealing with a fractured orbital bone and doesn't figure to earn starting reps if traded in-season. That may make him more of an offseason trade candidate, but the 23-year-old is worth monitoring in case any team wants to take a swing on his upside.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL trade candidates: Top quarterbacks who could be dealt before deadline

Reporting by Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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