The Jacksonville Jaguars made a pair of all-in trades ahead of the 2026 NFL trade deadline. Jacksonville brought in Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis to significantly upgrade their defense. Now the Jaguars look like the most balanced team in the AFC and ready to fight their way to the Super Bowl.
Jaguars GM James Gladstone pushed back on the idea that Jacksonville is employing an “F them picks” mentality.
“Down the road, I think there's a layer to what you're articulating there, that's a part of it for sure,” Gladstone said. “I know that the idea of F them picks has kind of taken a hold and it's a headline, but you know it's really not the approach or the process…. It's a very symbiotic process that encompasses a lot of layers to it, but it's certainly not F them picks. While that's been characterized as the approach, it's not necessarily that we actually value picks. We don't always use them on the three days that exist in April.”
Did Gladstone and the Jaguars get too aggressive with Monday's blockbuster trades? Or will fans look back at these trades as genius moves before Super Bowl Sunday?
Here is how the Jaguars grade out after making a pair of huge moves just before the trade deadline.
Jacksonville deserves praise for making aggressive moves to compete for a Super Bowl
The single most important goal for every team in the NFL is winning the Super Bowl. In theory, every team is trying their absolute hardest to do this even though they have different timelines for competing.
The Jaguars are in one of the best positions they've ever been in during their franchise history. They are 6-2 and firmly in control of the AFC South. Beyond that, the AFC as a conference looks completely wide open. If there was ever a time to go all in on a Super Bowl run, this is it.
Jacksonville did the right thing by betting on themselves in this crucial moment.
On paper, the Jaguars already have a pretty great defense. They're up there with the Vikings in points allowed per game and had no clear weakness. Now they are even better with Bates patrolling the secondary and Davis clogging up running lanes.
When weighing every variable of these moves, it is important to consider the value of each draft pick. The Jaguars look like they'll go far in the playoffs, so their 2027 first-round pick won't be that valuable. If parting ways with it helps them get over the hump, then it is definitely worth the cost.
Remember, the Eagles extended Davis this offseason and he is under contract through 2029. That essentially makes Davis the team's first-round selection for the next several years.
At the end of the day, it's hard to argue with Jacksonville's aggressive approach to the trade deadline. Even if it doesn't work out, the Jaguars should be applauded for their calculated gamble.
Grade: A
Did the Jaguars actually compromise their future with win-now trades?
Some fans may be wondering if these trades will come back to bite Jacksonville in future seasons. It's impossible to know for sure, but the future still looks pretty bright in Duval County.
The Jaguars are projected to have seven picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. However, their first selection will come in the third round with the rest coming on Day 3. After that, Jacksonville will have their first four picks in the 2028 NFL Draft. Then they will only be down a second-round pick in 2029.
Obviously that is not an ideal scenario, but it still leaves the Jaguars with two first-round picks in the next three offseasons.
The one concern Jacksonville should have moving forward is their salary cap. They are projected to be $20.12 million over the 2027 salary cap before even retaining any players. That's a huge deal considering Bates and Parker Washington are both on expiring contracts.
Ultimately, how fans remember these trades will be contingent on how successful Jacksonville is over the next few years. If the Jaguars make it to a Super Bowl, then these trades were obviously worth it.
It will be exciting to see how the Jaguars perform with their soup-ed up defense throughout the rest of the season.