If you've heard this before, just stop me. There was some pretty mediocre quarterback play in Week 8, at least when it comes to the afternoon slate. It has become an epidemic of sorts. Only about half the teams in the NFL have a stable quarterback situation right now. So many teams are a favorable draft board away from overhauling their QB room. It's almost baffling.
Sunday did, however, feature some intriguing head-to-head comparisons. Justin Fields in New York and Joe Flacco in Cincinnati — two free agents on different timelines, signed at different price points. It feels like the Jets made the wrong call there. Or what about Kirk Cousins in Atlanta and Tua Tagovailoa in Miami? A Cousins-to-Miami trade has been pitched by countless fans at this point. To his credit, Tagovailoa won the day rather emphatically, even with a bum eyeball.
As we approach the midway point of the NFL season, the trade deadline is less than two weeks away on Nov. 4. There typically aren't a ton of major trade shake-ups at the QB position, but with so many struggling starters and overqualified backups around the league this season, everything is on the table.
Here are five quarterbacks who underperformed in Week 8 — and who might replace them via trade.
Justin Fields, New York Jets
Justin Fields put together arguably his best performance of the season on Sunday. After rumors of his imminent benching all week, Fields got the starting nod in lieu of an injured Tyrod Taylor. To his credit, the 26-year-old answered the call. He moved the chains efficiently, didn't stumble into back-breaking mistakes, and looked as comfortable as he's looked all season.
That said, the New York Jets can't expect Fields to build on this. There's too much evidence to the contrary. That Cincinnati Bengals defense is a mess. Taking anything that happens against the Bengals defense without several large grains of salt is the incorrect mindset. The Jets still need a quarterback who can stretch the defense vertically and set up New York's young receivers for success.
There's a nonzero chance this is New York's only win of the season. That reality has to be accepted internally. But even for a tanking team, there is value in better quarterback play. The Jets need to build winning habits and positive momentum for next season, even if Fields' replacement is merely a stopgap while the Jets wait on the 2026 draft class.
Taylor remains the obvious internal replacement, and he's perfectly capable of treading water under less-than-ideal circumstances. But if the Jets want to take an upside swing on the trade front, why not call the Colts about Anthony Richardson? That could go very wrong given Richardson's lack of polish, but he's an incredible athlete who can run like Fields but also drop 50-yard nukes downfield. He might be worth a half-season trial run.
Internal replacement: Tyrod Taylor
Trade replacement: Anthony Richardson
Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers
Andy Dalton picked up the start for the Carolina Panthers with Bryce Young out of commission. There was a time not long ago when Dalton felt like the more dependable QB option in Charlotte. Not anymore. Young isn't without his flaws, but he has settled in well enough for a Panthers team capable of competing any given week. Dalton wasn't given the easiest task against a tough Buffalo Bills team, but he flunked the test nonetheless.
Dalton just couldn't press the offense deep into Bills territory. The threw an interception and Carolina couldn't manage a single touchdown. There were other issues at play — Chubba Hubbard's inefficient running, a substandard O-line performance, Carolina's god-awful WR setup — but Dalton just looked old and slow, which makes sense. He's 37 and it's been a hot minute since he was regularly starting games on a winning team.
Carolina will probably give Bryce Young until the end of the season before determining his ultimate future on draft night in April. But, if Carolina fancies testing the trade waters, why not target the preseason superhero and otherwise unheralded backup from Philadelphia, Tanner McKee? We haven't seen much of anything from McKee in the regular season, but whenever the Eagles turn to him — whether it's the preseason or even a spot start in Week 18 of last season — the results are overwhelmingly positive. He could give the Panthers something to think about before a pivotal summer.
Internal replacement: Bryce Young
Trade replacement: Tanner McKee
Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings
Carson Wentz took an absolute beating in the Minnesota Vikings' Thursday night loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He completed 15-of-27 passes for 144 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He also fumbled once (but recovered it) and took five sacks. There were several instances where Wentz was visibly frustrated on the sidelines. It's hard for any quarterback to perform behind such a shoddy offensive line.
That sets up a fascinating predicament for the Vikings front office. J.J. McCarthy should be back soon, but is he ready to run this offense? He struggled out of the gate and it's fair to wonder if placing him behind Minnesota's O-line is just setting him up for failure (or further injury). McCarthy has hurt his ankle twice now. The Vikings need to tread carefully.
Minnesota still has a chance to compete this season, but their margin for error is rapidly dissipating. If the Vikings don't feel good about Wentz, but also don't want to put McCarthy in the danger zone again, it seems logical to fire up the trade machine. The best target might be the most obvious. Kirk Cousins knows the Kevin O'Connell playbook like the back of his hand and he's desperate for a chance to prove his worth after a forgettable 2024 campaign in Atlanta. It could be worth exploring the path to a reunion.
Internal replacement: J.J. McCarthy
Trade replacement: Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Speak of the devil. Kirk Cousins finally got his moment in the sun for the Atlanta Falcons as Michael Penix Jr. was held out with a last-minute injury. The result? A rather embarrassing 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Cousins is not exactly the primary culprit here. Atlanta's defense didn't show up and the run game was uncharacteristically tepid considering all the Bijan Robinson MVP buzz. Cousins threw for 175 yards, only took one sack, and didn't turn it over, which is honestly a small silver lining in what otherwise felt like a death knell for the Falcons' season.
Cousins clearly did not bring enough to the table to replace Penix. For weeks, Falcons fans have wondered if the offense might perk up with a healthier Cousins under center. Granted, he did not have a full-strength WR room in this game with Drake London out, but Cousins looked fine. So has Penix for the majority of the season. Fine isn't good enough to justify benching your top-10 pick.
That said, Atlanta should probably start exploring the Cousins trade market. It may require absorbing some of his remaining contract, but if the Falcons can squeeze any sort of draft pick capital out of the 36-year-old, that's good business. Just bite the bullet.
Easton Stick looked excellent in the preseason, but if the Falcons opt to trade for a more exciting backup in Cousins' spot, why not target local legend and two-time UGA champion, Stetson Bennett? Bennett put together a phenomenal preseason with the Rams, but he's stuck third on the depth chart behind Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo. Bennett could establish himself as a quality long-term backup to Penix.
Internal replacement: Michael Penix Jr.
Trade replacement: Stetson Bennett IV
Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns
Dillon Gabriel is set to become a weekly staple in this column until the Cleveland Browns work up the gumption to start Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland made its bed and now must lie in it. Picking two rookie quarterbacks in the middle rounds — and then trading your two healthy veterans — was always going to lead to an uncomfortable media spectacle, especially when one of them in Deion Sanders' kid. Sanders almost certainly is better than his fifth-round billing. The preseason was a mixed bag for the 23-year-old, but man, Gabriel can't hack it. That much was clear long before Cleveland called his name in the third round.
The Browns did their best to keep up the illusion of Gabriel as the "better" or "more ready" quarterback, but it's not happening. The southpaw is too small, with a rubber arm and very little accuracy under pressure. If there was one silver lining to Gabriel's first few starts, it's that he managed to keep the turnovers at bay. He threw two ugly interceptions on Sunday as the New England Patriots defense completely overwhelmed him.
If the Browns don't trust Sanders (or just don't want to open up that very annoying can of worms to the media), the only viable alternative at this point is a trade. Flacco and Pickett aren't coming back, but Cleveland can surely find a more compelling stopgap option. How about a familiar face in Jameis Winston? Say what you will about Jameis, but the dude is confident and extremely talented. He can get a little erratic with his execution of that talent, but if there's any backup quarterback in the NFL capable of providing a shot of adrenaline to this sleepy Browns offense, it's Winston. Cleveland would gladly take 300 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions over whatever Gabriel is doing out there.