The Jacksonville Jaguars made a noteworthy move trading a sixth-round pick in the 2028 NFL Draft in exchange for quarterback Quinn Ewers. Fans were more surprised about the Miami Dolphins trading away the quarterback just one season into his professional career. Ewers was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft and received a few starts in his rookie season.
It turns out that the Dolphins didn’t have faith in Ewers developing and decided to part ways now. Jacksonville was not one of the teams that most expected to go after a quarterback since they have young franchise star Trevor Lawrence at the position. The Jaguars are also coming off their best season in years thanks to Lawrence improving on the job.
However, it appears that they value getting a backup who has the potential to be a starting quarterback in the future. Last season saw Ewers getting three QB starts for Miami with 3 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions.
One strong performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers increased Ewers’ value around the league heading into the offseason. Ewers was expected to be the clear backup quarterback for the Dolphins behind Malik Willis, but the trade sees that ending for a fresh start in Jacksonville.
Why Jacksonville Jaguars Wanted Quinn Ewers
The upcoming season for Jacksonville is pivotal to proving last season’s success was not a fluke. Most odds sites aren’t favoring the Jaguars to be a great team again after losing starting former running back Travis Etienne Jr. and a couple of other talented players.
The New Orleans Saints adding Etienne forced the Jaguars to suffer a loss there and will now rely on Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez to step up. However, this also means that the passing game will dictate the success or failure for Jacksonville this season offensively.
Lawrence is the clear quarterback going into the season, but the Jaguars felt that adding another reserve for job security was worth losing the pick. Both Ewers and Nick Mullens will be tasked with impressing in practice and being ready in case of an injury. The youth of Ewers also give them another option down the line in case Lawrence struggles long term.
Will Quinn Ewers Become QB #2 For Jaguars?
The big question now is whether Ewers will pass Mullens as the second quarterback in the pecking order behind Lawrence. Mullens has more experience entering the league back in the late 2010s with the San Francisco 49ers.
However, the lackluster results have made Mullens turn into a career journeyman mostly serving as a reserve. Jacksonville clearly sees something in Ewers to take the chance on trading a future pick. Ewers’ arm could lead to chemistry with second year sensation Travis Hunter.
Expect Ewers to be the choice if Lawrence does suffer a serious injury that requires a backup to start multiple games. Mullens would have to impress in practice and be a short-term fix to get slotted above Ewers. Regardless of the short-term plans, Ewers is now considered a part of Jaguars future as the second most important quarterback.
Why Jacksonville Jaguars Traded For Quarterback Quinn Ewers