NFL roster cutdown weekend produced plenty of storylines involving former Ohio State football players, but none were stranger than what unfolded with former Buckeye quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Kyle McCord. In a matter of hours, the Miami Dolphins traded Ewers away and then turned around and acquired McCord — effectively swapping one former Ohio State quarterback for another as part of a single roster shake-up.
Miami Dolphins Trade Quinn Ewers to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Ewers’ brief tenure in Miami came to an end on Saturday, when the Dolphins traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round draft pick. The move gives Ewers a fresh start behind starter Trevor Lawrence, slotting in as an experienced insurance option in Jacksonville’s quarterback room.
Ewers was originally drafted by Miami in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft — the 231st overall pick and the final quarterback selected in that class — after transferring from Ohio State to Texas, where he became a multi-year starter for the Longhorns. As a rookie with the Dolphins, Ewers made three starts, going 1-2 as Miami’s signal-caller while completing 66.3% of his passes for 622 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. According to reporting from The Athletic and other outlets, Miami’s front office had lingering concerns about Ewers’ training camp performance this offseason, and while some within the organization still believed in his long-term potential, the team ultimately opted to move on and trade him to Jacksonville.
Kyle McCord Lands in Miami After a Standout Preseason With the Packers
The more notable half of the story is where Miami turned next. Just one day after trading Ewers, the Dolphins acquired Kyle McCord from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick — notably, the very same pick Miami had just received from Jacksonville in the Ewers deal. In effect, the Dolphins traded Quinn Ewers straight up for Kyle McCord over the course of a single weekend.
McCord earned this opportunity through a genuinely strong training camp and preseason with Green Bay. He was especially sharp in the Packers’ third and final preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, completing 22 of 35 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns. Across the full preseason, McCord led all Packers quarterbacks with 446 passing yards and four touchdown passes while playing behind starter Jordan Love and veteran Tyrod Taylor. That performance was strong enough that plenty of Packers fans hoped the team would simply keep McCord on as its backup — but Green Bay ultimately chose to capitalize on his trade value instead, with Taylor remaining as Love’s primary backup in Green Bay.
Love himself spoke highly of McCord following the trade, saying he was excited for McCord and impressed with how he handled the entire process, adding that he was happy to see him land in Miami alongside Malik Willis.
Kyle McCord’s Path From Ohio State to Syracuse to the NFL
McCord was originally a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 NFL Draft, spending his rookie season on Philadelphia’s practice squad before being released in the offseason. He then caught on with Green Bay during training camp, using the preseason to make a strong enough impression to be traded rather than simply released. Prior to entering the NFL, McCord spent multiple seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Syracuse, where he put together a productive, record-setting final college season that helped raise his draft stock.
With the move to Miami, McCord has now locked down a spot on an NFL 53-man roster for the first time in his young career — a notable milestone after beginning the 2026 offseason without a guaranteed roster spot at all.
Why the Dolphins Made Both Quarterback Moves
Miami’s quarterback shuffle didn’t stop with the Ewers-for-McCord swap. After trading Ewers on Saturday, the Dolphins also waived both Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski on Sunday, briefly leaving veteran Malik Willis as the only quarterback on the active roster before the McCord trade was finalized. According to ESPN’s cutdown coverage, Miami’s backup quarterback situation had become increasingly shaky after underwhelming preseason performances from Miller, Gronowski, and Ewers alike, pushing the front office to pursue an upgrade even in the final hours before the roster deadline.
It’s also worth noting the growing ties between Miami’s new coaching staff and Green Bay. Willis, Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan all have previous connections to the Packers organization, adding another layer of familiarity to Miami’s decision to target McCord specifically.
Some analysts have cautioned against reading too much into the trade at face value. While McCord’s preseason numbers were impressive, it’s worth noting Green Bay was still willing to trade him away rather than carry him as a third quarterback — despite having no long-term answer behind Love beyond the 37-year-old Taylor. That decision has led some to question whether Miami is overvaluing a strong but limited preseason sample size rather than a proven NFL body of work.
A Unique Ohio State Connection Ties the Entire Trade Saga Together
What makes this weekend truly stand out is the shared Ohio State thread running through the entire sequence of moves. Both Ewers and McCord began their college careers at Ohio State before transferring elsewhere to become full-time starters — Ewers at Texas, McCord at Syracuse — before eventually being drafted into the NFL. Over the course of a single weekend, the same NFL franchise effectively swapped one former Buckeye quarterback for another, a coincidence that quickly caught the attention of Ohio State fans tracking former players around the league.
What’s Next for Quinn Ewers and Kyle McCord
Both 23-year-old quarterbacks now find themselves as backups on Florida-based NFL teams, each looking to prove something in a new environment. Ewers gets a chance to develop behind an established starter in Trevor Lawrence, while McCord will back up Malik Willis in Miami after finally cracking a 53-man roster for the first time in his career. For Ohio State fans who watched both quarterbacks pass through Columbus, the coming NFL season will offer an intriguing side-by-side look at how their respective post-Ohio State paths continue to unfold.
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