Navigating the NFL QB carousel: 40 different QBs will have started through Week 5

The NFL trade deadline is exactly one month away on November 4th. Through Week 5, 40 different QBs will have started an NFL game, the most since 42 in 2019. How is it all connected to an instead quite trade deadline?

Three current quarterbacks are being discussed as potential trade targets. One is the league's highest-paid backup and fielded zero calls, one may be washed up and come with a buyer's beware tag, and the other has been labeled as a bust so far. The Cincinnati Bengals have held to their word about having all the faith in backup QB Jake Browning after the Joe Burrow injury. So, it doesn't appear that they will be in the market for a new quarterback any time soon. Where do Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, and Anthony Richardson go from here? It's not quite clear yet.

No team has inquired about Kirk Cousins since he is owed $27 million this year from a terrible contract by Atlanta. However, Atlanta had good intentions that he would stick around and get them to the playoffs. He was hurt, his play on the field started to decline, not to mention he had Michael Penix Jr. breathing down his neck through no fault of his own, after Atlanta drafted him in what seemed like hours after making Cousins "The savior of the franchise." It appears that Cousins will stay put and be the backup in Atlanta through the deadline until the season's end.

Russell Wilson was brought in to save the New York Giants after his failed Denver Broncos experiment. Since then, he has been benched in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart, who looks to lead the rest of the way with Jameis Winston as his backup. The Giants aren't actively shopping Wilson, but he could be a decent option for a team needing a QB, and they would only have to pick up a $2 million tab.. Apparently, it won't be the Bengals.

Anthony Richardson could find a new home at the deadline. The New Orleans Saints could be an option, but if you examine Spencer Rattler's numbers, his quarterback play isn't a significant issue that can't be addressed for the future. It appears as if the Colts are unwilling to trade Richardson at this point, and the team still has faith in him even though some have labeled him as a bust. Daniel Jones is playing lights out for Indy, but all it takes is one play for it all to change at the QB position, as we have seen so far with the injuries piling up at the position.

NFL teams have little reason to part with backups right now. With the league seeing 40 different starting QBs on the year so far, which is second all-time to 2019, when the NFL saw 42 different starters through Week 5, backups are there for a reason, and teams are utilizing them instead of searching the market for a player to give them one or two good years before being back to square one.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Navigating the NFL's QB carousel: 40 different QBs start thru Week 5