5 biggest Jaguars winners (& 3 losers) from the trade deadline frenzy

The Jacksonville Jaguars were expected to take a big swing at the trade deadline. However, nobody would have imagined that they would send shockwaves across the league as general manager James Gladstone made not one but three trades on the eve of the November 10 deadline.

First, the Jags acquired safety Jessie Bates III in return for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fourth-round pick. They followed that up with a deal to acquire nose tackle Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a sixth-rounder in either 2027 or 2028. Jacksonville, however, saved the best for last.

Having traded for Gordaux, you would've been hard-pressed to find someone who thought they were going to land two-time Pro Bowl nod Jordan Davis in return for a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round selection. And suddenly, the Jaguars look like a team ready to make a Super Bowl push.

And in case you were wondering, you can click here to see what draft picks Jacksonville will have in 2027. With that out of the way, here are the biggest winners and losers from the team's busy trade deadline period.

5 winners & 3 losers from the Jaguars' heist at the trade deadline

Winner: Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver

Without a doubt, Brian Thomas Jr. was the biggest winner of this trade deadline cycle. He had been the subject of trade speculation, and there were doubts about his future in light of his struggles. However, the Jags are reaffirming their commitment to him by keeping him around in spite of the noise.

Of course, Thomas now has to deliver, but at least he won't have to deal with speculation about his future. This will, in turn, allowing to focus on recapture the level of playmaking skills he showed as a rookie.

It will be up to him to make the most of this new chance.

Loser: Alijah Huzzie, cornerback

You can't fault Alijah Huzzie if he felt frustrated when Jacksonville waived him just minutes after the deadline was over. Though no fault of his own, the sophomore cornerback room was given the boot to free up one roster spot to make room for Jordan Davis.

The silver lining is that Huzzie will get a chance to play somewhere else, something he wasn't getting in Jacksonville. Since landing with the Jags in early October, the 2025 undrafted free agent only saw action in one game. It's clear that he wasn't getting an opportunity to showcase his skills with them.

Winner: Anthony Campanile, defensive coordinator

Brian Thomas Jr. notwithstanding, Anthony Campanile might have been the biggest Jaguars winner. After all, he had already put together a pretty good unit, but the rich got richer after acquiring Jordan Davis, Davon Godchaux, and Jessie Bates III.

Granted, Campanile also lost two key pieces in defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton and Eric Murray when they landed on the Injured Reserve list, but you could make the case that Davis and Bates are upgrades at their respective positions. When you factor in that Godchaux will round out the defensive tackle rotation, you can bet that coach Camp will be cooking in the second half of the season.

Loser: Jalen Huskey, safety

The Jaguars lost Caleb Ransaw early in the season. Then, Eric Murray suffered a season-ending injury. And through all of it, rookie Jalen Huskey barely got playing time. Sure, readiness is always variable coming out of the draft, but you knew the first-year safety had a long way to go when Kaevon Merriewather, who began the season on the practice squad, leapfrogged him.

With Bates now in the mix, Huskey will once again return to the cellar of the depth chart and probably won't see much playing time moving forward. In fact, don't be surprised if he's a healthy scratch, barring injuries.

You could make the case that Rayuan Lane III also lost because he was a starter before Bates arrival, but he was a backup before he joined Jacksonville and will simply return to his backup role.

Loser: Albert Regis, defensive tackle

Albert Regis barely got any playing time this season until DaVon Hamilton suffered a season-ending injury. However, he's back to the sidelines after the arrival of Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux. Davis will take on Ham's starting spot, and Godchaux could be the primary backup in the rotation, so any hopes Regis had of having a substantial role in the defensive tackle rotation will be dashed.

Winners: Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen

Maybe it's our fault for overhyping them, and there's no doubt that Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen have dominated in the past, but most definitely not this season. This is why they'll benefit the most from all the trades Jacksonville just made.

Not only will Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux help Hines-Allen and Walker find more favorable matchups, but with Bates and Davis in the fold, Hines-Allen and Walker will no longer be under pressure to deliver, as they will no longer be the team's best players.

Winner: James Gladstone

James Gladstone is getting the spotlight, and that's turning heads across the NFL for both the right and wrong reasons. On the one hand, "Jimmy, the general manager" is challenging the NFL establishment and collective thinking with his aggressive team-building approach.

NFL analysts loathe him because he's not "using resources the proper way," with his critics arguing that he's overpaid for Travis Hunter, and more recently for Jordan Davis. What they failed to graps is that draft picks are valuable, sure, but are unknown assets, and they'll have more value in the future than in the midst of a playoff push.

And that's the thing, history shows that teams that load up on talent to make a Super Bowl run generally go all the way. Think of the Los Angeles Rams when they traded for Jalen Ramsey.

Future favors the bold, and Gladstone sure is as bold as general managers come.

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