Jaguars trade for QB Quinn Ewers; he'll back up Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville; compensation updated

The Jaguars are adding a young arm behind Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville is trading for Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers, Jordan Schultz reported Saturday, with the 2024 first-round No. 1 overall pick Lawrence entrenched as the starter and Ewers set to serve as his backup per multiple NFL reporters. In his only NFL action, Ewers appeared in four games and made three starts as a rookie last year, completing 66.3% of his passes for 622 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions (a 1-2 record).

UPDATED: The original compensation was reported as a pick swap, but the official is a 2026 6th-round pick for Ewers, according to Schefter. The new compensation package suggests it's not just about skipping the waiver line for the Jaguars The move is more about skipping the waiver line, with the compensation being a late-round swap: Jacksonville and Miami will exchange 2028 Day 3 picks for Ewers.

Ewers, a 2025 seventh-round pick (231st overall) out of Texas, spent his rookie year in Miami but never carved out a role under the franchise's new coaching staff. The Dolphins beat confirmed the move — Joe Schad reported Ewers to Jacksonville, with Schad noting Miami will now most likely be looking to add a quarterback either off the waiver wire or from the coming cut market, since dealing Ewers leaves the room thin.

He'll arrive in Jacksonville as a developmental No. 2 behind Lawrence rather than a competitor for the job — a low-cost flier for a contender looking to deepen the most important room on the roster with the 53-man cutdown looming Sunday.