When the Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Quinn Ewers one day before cutdown day, they acknowledged that they needed better depth at quarterback. Moreover, they let it be known that Nick Mullens may not be part of their plans in 2026. Heck, it may be a matter of time before they cut ties with him, if they haven't already as of this writing.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media originally broke the news and later reported that the Jags had acquired Ewans in return for a swap of Day 3 picks. However, the team's PR account on Twitter has since announced that Jacksonville acquired Ewers in return for a sixth-round selection... in 2028.
When you take everything into account, the Jaguars may have gotten a pretty good deal.
What are the Jaguars getting in Quinn Ewers?
The Miami Dolphins took Quinn Ewers in Round 7 of the 2025 draft. The expectation was that he was going to develop behind Tua Tagovailoa, but a new regime took over Miami in 2026, and Ewers was no longer part of their plans. In fact, there was chatter during this year's preseason that the Phins could look for reinforcements for their quarterback room behind Malik Willis.
Now, Ewers was fine but nothing spectacular as a rookie, going 55-of-83 for 622 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. That said, he's just entering his second NFL season, so the Jaguars must think he's got upside.
Moreover, Jacksonville wouldn't have brougth in the former Texas Longhorn if the team's decision-makers didn't think he would be an upgrade over Nick Mullens, who was QB2 behind Trevor Lawrence as recently as the preseason finale.
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Grade the trade: The Jaguars got an intriguing developmental QB at a low cost
Of course, there's a chance the Quinn Ewers trade won't pan out, but the Jaguars needed better depth at quarterback, and they'll find out in 2026 if he can be an upgrade. If he isn't, they can simply move on from him next year.
Keep in mind that the sophomore signal-caller is scheduled to earn a combined $3.36 million with no guaranteed money the next three years. If he doesn't pan out in Duval, Jacksonville can still look for options to improve their depth behind Trevor Lawrence without hurting their cap. On the other hand, if the trade is successful, the Jaguars will have found a backup at a low cost.
The trade could go either way, but when you take into account that the Jags will just give up a Day 3 pick in 2028 for a developmental project, it's certainly a low-risk move that could pay massive dividends down the road.
Grade: B, because of the upside
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