The Jacksonville Jaguars made their third trade on Monday, and it was the biggest one yet – literally and figuratively.
The Eagles will ship massive defensive tackle Jordan Davis to the Jaguars. In return, Jacksonville will fork over a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round selection to Philadelphia.
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Earlier Monday, the Jaguars acquired safety Jessie Bates III from the Falcons and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the Saints.
How does Davis fit into the Jaguars’ defense? What about the haul they got in return? Let’s break this massive trade down.
Jaguars in Super Bowl-or-bust mode now
If you thought the Bates trade was a sign that the Jaguars were going for it, the Davis trade left no doubt.
When DaVon Hamilton went down with a season-ending injury, it was viewed as a massive loss. Hamilton might not be a household name outside of Jacksonville, but he was valued highly inside the team’s facility.
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So what did the Jaguars do? They went out and got two defensive tackles to plug that hole – nearly 700 combined pounds between them. Think that will plug the hole up front?
The Jaguars might still have a top-10 rushing defense this season, but the Ravens ran for a season-high 172 yards against them in their first game without Hamilton. That the game happened Thursday night likely allowed the Jaguars to recalibrate their needs over the weekend and strike quickly on Monday. Three times, in fact.
They were not getting major interior help from the likes of Arik Armstead, Ruke Orhorhoro, Matt Dickerson and Albert Regis, and that’s why the Jaguars added multiple players up front. The appeal of Godchaux is that he can play in multiple spots, and Davis also can move around a little, although they figure to hold down the nose between them. That likely leaves Armstead and Orhorhoro as the 3-techniques.
If you look at the Jaguars’ remaining schedule, there aren’t a lot of strong running teams left on it. However, if we’re using the all-in framework, this deal was as much about what the Jaguars might face in the playoffs. Three of the top four teams by rush average reside in the AFC – the Steelers, Bills and Chiefs – and the Jaguars might have to go through at least two of them to get to the Super Bowl.
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Now comes the cost, and it’s pretty robust. Next year’s first-round pick is likely to be in the bottom half of Round 1. The Jaguars hope it’s the 32nd pick, which goes to the Super Bowl winner; if the season ended today, they’d be giving up the 25th overall selection. We can’t project where the 2029 second-rounder will land, but teams often subtract one round for every year in the future, which makes it about a fourth-rounder for now.
When you put it like that, the cost doesn’t sound quite as high, even if there are some conditions attached. Still, you have to appreciate a team willing and able to strike when the irons are hot, and that time is now.
The flip side? Davis has been ordinary this season – and at times a little invisible. The Jaguars clearly feel they can unlock him, or they wouldn’t have paid up so much. Lining up on a unit that features Joshua Hines-Allen and Travon Walker should help, but Davis’ paltry production (0.5 sacks, two QB hits, no forced fumbles or tackles for loss and a snap rate hovering around 50%) is concerning.
The Eagles signed Davis to a three-year, $78 million extension in March, yet Davis’ cap hit for 2027 is a very reasonable figure at just over $8.5 million. This is an important element for the deal, with the Jaguars relatively tight against the projected cap for next spring. There’s plenty of time to make it all work down the road.
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For now, the Jaguars have their sights set on a Super Bowl.
Grade: B+
Eagles couldn’t pass on huge return for depreciating asset
The Eagles had let it be known that Moro Ojomo, the team’s talented third-year defensive tackle, was not available for trade. And they kept to their word.
Instead, they dealt Davis, whom the team signed to a major extension, along with Jalen Carter, this offseason. The thinking was that Davis and Carter would be the team’s starting pillars up front for years to come. That now has come to an end, but a Carter-Ojomo pairing now sounds appealing, especially with Davis performing at a disappointing level this season.
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In addition to shedding salary, the Eagles also have continued adding to their impressive draft-pick nest egg. In 2027, they now own the Jaguars’ first-rounder, the Vikings third-rounder, plus other teams’ Day 3 picks, in addition to most of their own selections. In the 2028 draft, they own the Patriots’ first-rounder and the Ravens’ second-rounder. And now they’re adding 2029 selections to the till.
With Jalen Hurts’ career hanging in the balance following his blood clot diagnosis, the Eagles need that flexibility in case they must acquire another quarterback. That’s the reality. Even if Hurts is eventually cleared to play, there’s some long-term doubt about whether he remains the face of the franchise.
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With the Eagles showing a willingness to deal off assets, it appears that they’re fully throwing in the towel on the playoffs, even with the division nominally still up for grabs. That also impacts head coach Nick Sirianni’s future as he now coaches a team that has gone from possible Super Bowl contenders to more talent-poor in a hurry, especially given all their injury trouble.
It’s a tough short-term pill to swallow for the franchise and a fan base used to competing every season, but the long-term payoff could be immense. The Eagles’ to-do list this offseason grows, but the potential of how they can reshape the roster is equally as exciting.
Grade: A-
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
