Nick Mullens must fend off rising sophomore Carter Bradley and high-upside rookie Joey Aguilar as Jacksonville weighs developmental potential against veteran stability behind star Trevor Lawrence.
While Trevor Lawrence is the undisputed starting quarterback for Jacksonville, the Jaguars are expected to have an intense competition to fill out the rest of the depth chart.
Incumbent QB2 Nick Mullens will have to step up his game if he wants to fend off both Carter Bradley and rookie Joey Aguilar, who signed as an undrafted free agent.
Who Has The Edge?
Mullens will head into training camp as the clear favorite to keep the backup role. However, if Bradley can show positive development heading into his sophomore season with the Jags, he could make things interesting. It would seem unlikely that the Jaguars would be confident turning to a player as inexperienced as Bradley if Lawrence misses any time, but stranger things have happened.
The quarterback getting the most hype in Jacksonville right now is Aguilar. After a successful collegiate career at Appalachian State, Aguilar transferred to Tennessee in 2025, where the jump in competition prepared him for the next level.
While at Tennessee, Aguilar guided the Volunteers to an 8-5 record, throwing for 3,565 yards and 24 touchdowns. After going undrafted, the 24-year-old was quickly scooped up by the Jaguars, who guaranteed Aguilar $247,500. That type of money for an UDFA shows just how serious the Jags were about adding him.
It's tough to see any scenario in which either Bradley or Aguilar truly pushes Mullens for the QB2 spot. The only real threat to Mullens would be if Jacksonville were to look for an upgrade in a trade, as some have suggested.
Battle For QB3
The real battle should be between Bradley and Aguilar for the QB3 spot, should the Jaguars decide to keep three on the 53-man roster. The choice would come down to Bradley's experience, having already spent a full year learning the Jaguars' offense, vs Aguilar's upside.
It seems like Aguilar’s upside would give him the advantage. As developmental upside is usually the tiebreaker for players competing for the back-end of the roster or spots on the Practice Squad.
Final Thoughts
Jacksonville wouldn't have given Aguilar that much money without intending to give him a fair shot at making the team. Though it is unlikely that Jacksonville will carry three quarterbacks into the season, Aguilar should be a priority to keep on the PS over Bradley.
The Jaguars luckily have a competent backup in Mullens, a luxury some teams don’t have. Hopefully, Trevor Lawrence can make it through the season unscathed.
Aguilar has started his NFL career by showing a lot of promise. The Jaguars should definitely keep him around long-term, as he has the tools necessary to develop into a good QB2 in the future.
Jacksonville's QB competitions should be an intriguing storyline throughout camp and the preseason, and remain interesting until final cuts are made and the PS is set.
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