Well, give the current iteration of the Jacksonville Jaguars credit. When they see a Super Bowl window, they seize it and let the surrounding world know.
That’s how I processed the Jaguars giving up a significant bounty for safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle Jordan Davis: first and second-round picks in the 2027 draft, a 2028 fifth-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick. That’s a lot of future assets. But it’s what you surrender when you believe this is your shot to capture a Super Bowl. So, I get it. Much like the Chicago Bears going all in on Jeffery Simmons as the piece that puts them over the top.
For the Jaguars, I get the investment. If you go back to the game against the Houston Texans, when Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns, it was easy to see the deep-field issues for the Jaguars defense. Bates is a piece who can handle the deep areas of the field and produce turnovers. His expiring contract is a little wild — it’s rare to see a team give up so much draft compensation for a rental — but that also showcases how strongly the Jaguars feel about this being a Super Bowl opportunity for the franchise.
The calculation on Davis is slightly different. His best attribute is being a run-stopping interior player. But after talking to some people in Jacksonville, it’s clear the Jaguars front office sees some pass-disrupting ceiling for Davis that wasn’t always being accessed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Time will tell if Davis has some long-term pass-rushing ability to offer. But that’s clearly why Jaguars GM James Gladstone was comfortable surrendering a first-round pick (plus) for Davis. In fairness, Davis also has a contract that runs through 2029. This acquisition was an investment with plenty of runway moving forward. That guided the assets that Jacksonville surrendered (a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-rounder).
I joined Mike Patton of Touring the AFC South to break down the Jaguars’ moves, along with an overview of the division. We also discussed the Jaguars’ decision not to trade Brian Thomas Jr. and some other AFC deadline moves.
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