Trade Landing Spots for Matthew Stafford, Bryce Young, Justin Fields and More NFL QBs

With the NFL's Nov. 5 trade deadline approaching, the trade market has already begun to heat up. We've seen standout players like Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins and Jerome Baker dealt within the last few weeks, and more moves are on the horizon.

What we haven't seen yet is major movement on the quarterback front. That could change quickly, though. It may take an injury to a contender's starter to drum up serious interest in veteran signal-callers, but at least one high-end quarterback could be available.

According to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue, the Los Angeles Rams "aren't protecting" star quarterback Matthew Stafford ahead of the trade deadline.

Some teams could also look to get a jump on next season by targeting a developmental quarterback now.

Here, we'll dive into the signal-callers who are most likely to be available before the trade deadline and the ideal landing spot for each based on factors like player potential, past production, team needs and roster makeup.

Landing Spot: Las Vegas Raiders

Justin Fields started the first six games of the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers and mostly played well. He went 4-2 as the starter and posted a career-high 93.9 quarterback rating. However, Pittsburgh might consider cashing in on Fields now that Russell Wilson has taken over as the starter.

While Pittsburgh undoubtedly values the insurance and sub-package potential that Fields can provide, he will be a free agent in 2025 and could depart if Wilson becomes the Steelers' long-term answer.

Acquiring Fields only cost the Steelers a conditional sixth-round pick, so dealing him for even a third- or fourth-rounder would be a net positive.

The Las Vegas Raiders, who recently lost Aidan O'Connell to a fractured thumb, could be the perfect landing spot for Fields. The 2-5 Raiders have lost three games in a row, and head coach Antonio Pierce may need to deliver some wins down the stretch to maintain his job security.

Gardner Minshew has struggled this season, and recently signed quarterback Desmond Ridder probably isn't the answer, either.

The Raiders also employ offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who coached Fields in the same position with the Chicago Bears. It's fair to wonder how good their relationship is after things flamed out in Chicago—the Bears jettisoned both in the offseason—but Getsy does have a high opinion of his former quarterback.

"Justin is an incredible guy. I mean, just an incredible competitor, great teammate," Getsy said, per The Athletic's Vic Tafur.

If there's a team that could give Fields a chance to step in and start right away, it's Las Vegas. That could potentially help the quarterback's stock ahead of free agency while giving him a half-season audition for the quarterback-needy Raiders.

Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns

The Detroit Lions likely won't actively shop quarterback Hendon Hooker. The 2023 third-round pick earned the backup job this offseason, and the Lions have realistic Super Bowl aspirations. They would be wise to hang onto their top insurance policy behind center.

However, the Lions might be persuaded to part with Hooker after signing starter Jared Goff to a four-year extension in the offseason. Hooker is purely depth for Detroit, but his untapped potential could interest teams without a long-term quarterback plan.

".Tennessee's offense often made the reads simple and clear as day, but Hooker executed with good velocity and ball placement," Derrik Klassen of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote before last year's draft. "He has enough juice to fit tight windows, as well as the careful placement to lead receivers smoothly for yards after the catch."

It's also worth noting that Hooker won't carry a cap hit above $2 million in either of the next two seasons. That could make the 26-year-old an ideal flyer for the Cleveland Browns.

Deshaun Watson hasn't panned out for Cleveland and is now out for the year with a torn Achilles. The Browns need to start over at quarterback, but Watson's contract makes that a massive challenge. He'll carry a cap hit of $72.9 million in each of the next two years.

The Browns may—and should—target a quarterback prospect in the 2025 draft. However, acquiring Hooker would give them another quarterback on a rookie contract to compete with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the prospect-to-be-named.

The sinking Browns could also offer a veteran pass-rusher like Za'Darius Smith in a trade. That should interest the Lions, who recently lost Aidan Hutchinson to a fractured leg.

Landing Spot: Los Angeles Rams

Though the 2-5 Jacksonville Jaguars aren't chasing a Super Bowl title like the Lions, they may prefer to keep backup quarterback Mac Jones for the remainder of the season. He's set to be a free agent in 2025, but Jones is also the only quarterback on their active roster behind starter Trevor Lawrence.

But if a team comes calling about Jones, Jacksonville could look to reacquire C.J. Beathard, who is on the Miami Dolphins' practice squad.

Jones was a rookie Pro Bowler for the New England Patriots in 2021 but rapidly declined after that. However, he did flash a lot of potential during the 2024 preseason (73.1 completion percentage), which should leave a strong impression ahead of free agency.

"He's done a good job managing and running the offense, getting everybody involved," Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said of Jones in August, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. "He sees the field well, throws a good ball."

Whether the Rams ultimately trade Stafford or not, they could be in the market for an heir apparent. Stafford will turn 37 in February, and he gave up his 2025 guarantees with his offseason contract restructure.

Rams head coach Sean McVay has taken fliers on former first-round picks before, including Baker Mayfield toward the end of the 2022 season. Like Stafford and Mayfield, Jones is primarily a pocket passer who would fit in McVay's offense.

Right now, L.A.'s succession plan involves Stetson Bennett, who was extremely turnover-prone during the preseason. Getting Jones into the building and seeing if he's worth re-signing would be a logical and familiar move.

Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings

At this stage in his career, Stafford probably won't accept a trade to a non-contender. While there's been no indication that his extension with the Rams includes a no-trade clause, he could take his sweet time getting up to speed in a new offense and then choose to retire in the offseason.

The Minnesota Vikings have been linked to Stafford, though water has been thrown on that particular fire. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reported Wednesday that "there's zero truth to the idea the Vikings are trying to trade for" Stafford.

While the Vikings may not actively be trying to acquire Stafford, that doesn't mean that Minnesota isn't the ideal landing spot for him.

The Vikings are contenders, and while Sam Darnold has mostly played well this season, he's isn't their long-term answer—that remains injured rookie J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota could view Stafford as a one- or two-year upgrade and go chase a Super Bowl with him.

For Stafford, there couldn't be a more perfect situation. Minnesota has a top-10 scoring defense, a star receiver in Justin Jefferson and a very familiar offensive system. Head coach Kevin O'Connell spent two years as the Rams' offensive coordinator and won a Super Bowl with Stafford in 2021.

With $80.3 million in projected 2025 cap space, Minnesota is also one of the few teams that could afford to give Stafford a lucrative extension in the spring. Only the Raiders, Patriots, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders are projected to have more cap space.

The Patriots have Drake Maye, the Cardinals have Kyler Murray and the Commanders have Jayden Daniels. The aging Stafford would presumably want no part of the Raiders' rebuild.

Landing Spot: New York Giants

Like Jones, Zach Wilson is a former first-round pick who flopped with his original team and who flashed some promise after getting a fresh start this preseason. The New York Jets' 2021 first-rounder looked like an entirely new quarterback under Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

With rookie Bo Nix topping the depth chart in Denver, Wilson will need to find a new team to earn another starting opportunity. The New York Giants, meanwhile, need to find a new quarterback.

Daniel Jones continues to make the Giants look silly for handing him a four-year, $160 million extension last offseason. New York can save $19.4 million in cap space by releasing him next offseason. At this point, that feels inevitable.

The Giants may look to the 2025 draft for their next quarterback of the future, but getting an extended look at Wilson now would be logical. The former second overall pick is only 25 years old, already knows how to handle the tough New York market and still possesses the physical tools that made him a coveted draft prospect.

"Wilson is a legit franchise QB prospect who will add excitement and explosive plays to whatever offense he joins, but might take some time to adjust to what he can—and can't—get away with at the NFL level," Nate Tice wrote for the Bleacher Report Scouting Department in 2021.

Given the lackluster Jets offense we've seen this year with Aaron Rodgers behind center, it's fair to wonder if Wilson was ever really the problem. That's something the Giants should try to determine firsthand, before Wilson hits the open market.

The biggest problem in New York right now is Jones.

Landing Spot: Tennessee Titans

Like the Giants Browns and Raiders, the Tennessee Titans don't have a definitive plan at quarterback. Tennessee has tried to make it work with 2023 second-round pick Will Levis, but the results have left much to be desired.

Levis has turned the ball over at least once in every game this season, and Tennessee's lone win came with Mason Rudolph under center. As a result, the Titans should be looking for a new quarterback in 2025.

In the meantime, they would be wise to take a flier on 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young.

Young hasn't been good in Carolina. However, his confidence was likely shattered last season by playing with one of the worst offensive supporting casts in the NFL. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini (h/t Bleacher Report's Adam Wells) other coaches and general managers are "licking their chops" at the thought of working with Young.

In Tennessee, Young would get to play with a terrific defense (ranked first in yards allowed), pass-catchers like Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, plus an offensive head coach in Brian Callahan. Meanwhile, the Titans might view the 23-year-old as a better prospect than those who will be available in the 2025 draft.

The question is whether Carolina would move Young this early in his career. He'll start against the Broncos this week because of Andy Dalton's sprained thumb, and he could still solidify himself as the Panthers' future.

However, many do believe that Young will be available in the coming months.

"Sources around the league believe it is only a matter of time before Carolina completes a deal involving the second-year quarterback—with the most likely time coming at some point in the offseason," ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote on September 21.

The Titans could get a jump on the offseason market by acquiring Young now.

*Cap and contract information via Spotrac.