In the midst of injuries on the offensive line, the Jacksonville Jaguars needed help. They got it when they acquired right guard Daniel Faalele from the New York Giants in exchange for a Day 3 selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. The trade immediately addressed a glaring roster void while confirming that general manager James Gladstone isn't afraid to take a swing to address the larger scale roster.
Since becoming the general manager in 2025, Gladstone has made several trades to fill the team's immediate needs. By acquiring Faalele, he's showing that he remains true to his approach.
The Jaguars have made several trades with James Gladstone at the helm
When the Jaguars acquired James Gladstone, the roster had several foundational pieces in place but also had several holes. He's spent the last two years filling them, many of them through the trade route.
Dating back to last year, Gladstone has traded for wide receiver Tim Patrick, cornerback Greg Newsome, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders Sr., and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. You can also include the blockbuster swing in the 2025 NFL Draft to select two-way star Travis Hunter second overall.
Of course, not every move has panned out. Newsome was a dud during his stint in Duval. Ditto Saunders, but the fact that Gladstone isn't afraid to pull the trigger shows that he won't rest on his laurels: If the Jaguars have a need, he'll do what he can to solve it.
With Daniel Faalele, the Jaguars are getting a potential starter at right guard, and Gladstone only had to give up a late-round selection in 2027. Coupled with the fact that he has a base salary of $1.2 million, the deal looks like a bargain.
James Gladstone got the Jaguars help on the O-line with Daniel Faalele
With Patrick Mekari, Walker Little, Cole Van Lanen, and Chuma Edoga dealing with injuries, James Gladstone had no choice but to look for external help to bolster the offensive line. The Daniel Faalele trade accomplishes that.
With the Giants, Faalele wasn't trending toward being a backup behind Francis Mauigoa and Jon Runyan. In Jacksonville, he'll get an immediate chance to boost his stock. Mekari just underwent back surgery, and his availability is in question. Van Lanen is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered in 2025 and could start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Little, on the other hand, has missed a portion of training camp but could return soon. With Faalele in the mix, the former Stanford Cardinal will probably get the starting nod at right tackle.
It's also worth noting that Wyatt Milum was making a bid for the starting job at right guard, but the team's brass may not have been thrilled with how things were going. Otherwise, they wouldn't have traded for Faalele.
Either way, James Gladstone just took care of a glaring issue, proving that he will make whatever trade he needs to address the roster. And all he had to do was send a 2027 late-round selection to New York.
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