4 Observations on the Quinn Ewers Trade and What it Means For Jaguars' QB Room

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- James Gladstone is never really sleeping, is he?

Just like the Jaguars traded for backup wide receiver Tim Patrick around the cut-day deadline a year ago, the Jaguars have made another move before they put together their 53-man roster on Sunday. This time, the deal was for Miami Dolphins backup quarterback Quinn Ewers, who the Jaguars acquired for a 2028 sixth-round pick.

So, what do we make of the Ewers move and what does it mean moving forward? We break it down below.

This Spells Bad News for Nick Mullens

This does not feel like a move the Jaguars would have made if they are happy with Nick Mullens and their backup quarterback situation. One would not think the Jaguars would give up any draft capital at all for a quarterback if he was merely going to be the Jaguars' No. 3 quarterback, which should easily slot in Ewers as the No. 2 quarterback much sooner than later.

I will hold the L on this one, folks. I thought Mullens closed the preseason and training camp very strongly, especially after a tough first outing against the New Orleans Saints a few weeks ago. I openly said that people were merely handwringing about the backup quarterback position like 31 other fanbases do each year, but that is clearly not the case. The Jaguars would not have pulled the trigger here if they were confident in Mullens, which should spell the end for his time in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars will be hit with $1.3 million in dead cap by releasing Mullens and gain $1.2 million in cap space, so it is not like this is a financial move either. Mullens is simply a backup passer who hit his ceiling, and the Jaguars believe they can, and have now, done better.

What Are the Jaguars Getting in Quinn Ewers?

I believe the Jaguars ultimately went with Ewers for a few reasons. The top reason, I believe, is that the Jaguars went out and checked the pulse of the backup quarterback market but quickly discoverd that any backup quarterback worth trading for would likely be held onto tightly by their current team. There is no point in giving up major draft ammo for a backup quarterback, and the Jaguars very well will likely replace the pick they sent for Ewers with a compensatory pick down the line.

Ewers, clearly, wasn't going to cost all that much. The book on him out of Miami is that he struggled during training camp and the preseason, but he is a younger and more mobile option than Mullens and could allow the Jaguars to open up the offense a bit more than they could with Mullens in the huddle. What Ewers does bring to the table is a quick release and a keen ability to play on-time.

With that said, there is a reason the Dolphins felt comfortable with punting on Ewers after just one training camp with the new regime. He has some talent, but he still has to prove himself as a capable QB2. Ewers, 23, was originally drafted by Miami in the seventh round (231st overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft and played in four games last season making three starts and completed 55-of-83 passes (66.3%) for 622 yards and three touchdowns, so he does have some experience and draft pedigree, but some questions do remain.

What This Means for the QB3 Spot

Aug 28, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Carter Bradley (10) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I am interested in whether this means anything for the QB3 position. Perhaps the Jaguars could waive Mullens and then attempt to bring him back on as the third quarterback on the practice squad, effectively pushing both Joey Aguilar and Carter Bradley off the roster entirely. With that said, there could be a scenario where Mullens does not want to accept such a demotion at this point in his career, which would then bring Bradley and Aguilar back in the fold unless the Jaguars want to review the quarterbacks who will be released tomorrow.

I have to think that the Jaguars were not overly happy with their No. 3 quarterback options, either, because this does not feel like a move a team makes if they are confident in their quarterback depth chart. Perhaps this trade means a clean slate for the Jaguars at quarterback as a whole, with all of Mullens, Aguilar, and Bradley moving on.

Itis also worth considering that when asked about Bradley and Aguilar after Friday's preseason finale, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen was not exactly persistent with his praise.

"Yeah, I think both of them were efficient. I think there was a few things both of them would like to have back. I thought Carter did a nice job leading the touchdown drive. Could have had another one to Trammell there that I think we might have missed, would like to have back. Did a great job on the two-point play making a guy miss," Coen said. "I thought Joey came in and, you know, obviously was a little bit later and not being asked to truly push the ball down the field too much, but he has a presence about him. The offense kind of rolls with him in there at times and he's crafty with some of the zone read stuff where we're able to kind of spit the ball in the perimeter and be able to get the ball in space. I thought they operated a little bit better than we had maybe seen. "

Does James Gladstone Have Another Move?

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone, left, and Executive Vice President of football operations Tony Boselli talk during the first day of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

it would not surprise me if James Gladstone and the Jaguars have another move up their sleeves, but for which positions? I would think cornerback, defensive tackle, linebacker, and even potentially tight end would be on the docket. There are questions at three of these positions in terms of the Jaguars' 53-man roster, and Gladstone and the Jaguars could make another move to fortify their depth.

Now is the time in the NFL calendar where trades become more frequent, and Gladstone has proven in back-to-back years that he is willing to get into the mix.

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