Jacksonville acquired quarterback Mark Brunell from Green Bay…
Jacksonville acquired quarterback Mark Brunell from Green Bay for third- and fifth-round picks in 1995. Brunell became the first great quarterback in Jaguars history, made three Pro Bowls and led Jacksonville to four playoff appearances and two AFC Championship Games. Green Bay received real value: the third-round pick became long-time fullback William Henderson, with Travis Jervey added in the fifth. The Packers did well, but the Jaguars found a franchise quarterback for mid-round capital.
Green Bay Packers Received
- pick 1995 3rd round pick (66th overall, William Henderson)
- pick 1995 5th round pick (170th overall, Travis Jervey)
Jacksonville Jaguars Received
- player Mark Brunell
Trade Analysis
Jacksonville needed a quarterback around whom an expansion franchise could grow, and the trade for Mark Brunell provided exactly that. Brunell had been Brett Favre’s backup in Green Bay and had thrown only 27 regular-season passes when the Jaguars acquired him. Jacksonville paid a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick, a modest price for a player who was still largely projection.
Brunell quickly became much more. He took over as Jacksonville’s starter in 1995 and developed into one of the defining quarterbacks of the late 1990s. He earned three Pro Bowl selections, led the NFL in passing yards in 1996, and guided the Jaguars to four consecutive playoff appearances from 1996 through 1999. Jacksonville reached the AFC Championship Game in both 1996 and 1999. For a franchise in its first years of existence, that stability and credibility at quarterback were enormously valuable.
Green Bay’s return should not be dismissed. The third-round selection became William Henderson, who spent 12 seasons with the Packers, played 188 regular-season games, and contributed to the team that won Super Bowl XXXI. The fifth-round pick became Travis Jervey, who also supplied special-teams value. The Packers were set at quarterback with Favre and converted a backup into two useful players, making this a strong transaction from their perspective.
The Jaguars still win because franchise quarterbacks are worth more than even good mid-round depth. Brunell’s decade in Jacksonville shaped the organization’s identity and produced sustained playoff contention. Green Bay received exactly the kind of return a team hopes for when moving a backup, which is why its grade remains high. Jacksonville simply captured the rarer asset: a long-term Pro Bowl quarterback for a price that never included a first- or second-round pick.