With general manager James Glastone leading the front office, the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't hesitated to make deals to either address the larger scale roster or acquire draft ammo. They achieved both when they traded tight end Hunter Long to the Arizona Cardinals on cutdown day.
Ian Rapoport originally reported the trade but didn't reveal the terms of the deal. The Jags later announced that they had sent a seventh-rounder and Long to Arizona in return for a sixth-round selection.
You could make the case that Jacksonville just swapped picks with the Cards, but the truth is that Long wasn't going to make the roster, so getting something in return for him is definitely a coup. Moreover, it helped them recover from another deal they made one day prior.
Why the Jaguars traded Hunter Long
The Jaguars drafted Tanner Koziol and Nate Boerkircher in 2026. With their arrival, it was clear that Hunter Long was going to get the boot at some point. Heck, he was seen as a potential cap casualty even before the draft. Jacksonville had already released fellow tight end Johnny Mundt, and it was a matter of time before Hunter got kicked to the curb as well.
A third-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2021, the former Boston College Eagle spent two seasons with the Phins and two with the Los Angeles Rams before landing with the Jags in 2025.
Although Hunter, along with Mundt, was brougth in to serve as the backup behind Brenton Strange, they were phased out in favor of Quintin Morris as the year progressed. When the team's brass re-signed Morris early in 2026, it became evident that Long was going to have a hard time sticking around next season.
Nevertheless, Jacksonville gave Long a chance to compete in training camp and the preseason. However, he didn't do much of note until the finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he reeled in a 34-yard catch. Too little, too late.
Long was going to count $2 million against the cap; trading him freed up $1.38 million in space with $1.37 million in dead money. He'll now get to back up Trey McBride.
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Hunter Long gives the Jaguars draft ammo to recover from the Quinn Ewers trade
The Jaguars gave up a sixth-round pick in 2028 in return for Quinn Ewers. Coincidentally, they got a 2028 sixth-rounder from Arizona in exchange for Hunter Long, so basically, Ewers ended up costing a seventh-round selection in 2027 (the one Jacksonville sent to the Cardinals).
That's a solid price to pay for what could be your QB2 the next two seasons. On top of that, Ewers is set to make a combined $3.6 million the next three years, or an annual average of $1.2 million. That's a pretty good deal for a player who could be your long-term backup.
The truth is that the Quinn Ewers trade had lots of upside because of his potential. The fact that the Jaguars were able to recover makes the deal look even better.
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