As expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars took a wild swing just before the trade deadline. That said, you had probably imagined that they would acquire reinforcements at defensive tackle but instead bolster their secondary with the best possible safety they could have found.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Jags traded for safety Jessie Bates in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Other outlets have since confirmed the news.
In Bates, Jacksonville is getting a Pro Bowl safety who will bring stability at safety in light of the season-ending injury Eric Murray suffered in the win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8.
Why the Jaguars traded for Jessie Bates
On paper, it made sense for the Jaguars to prioritize looking for help at defensive tackle, and maybe they will, but they got a deal done for Jessie Bates first, and that definitely came as a bit of a surprise.
It seemed like Jacksonville was going to roll with Antonio Johnson, Rayuan Lane III, Jalen Huskey, and Kaevon Merriweather at safety, but trading for Bates proves otherwise.
Bates will probably start next to Antonio Johnson the remainder of the year, while Lane will serve as a primary backup.
A second-round pick in 2018, Bates spent five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals to start his NFL career and bolted for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. He's not necessarily a ball-hawk but can certainly make plays, registering 28 interceptions and 74 passes defensed in 139 games.
Throughout his career, Bates has made the Pro Bowl once and earned three Second-Team All-Pro designations. With him in the mix, the Jaguars are preparing to make a push in the second half of the season to clinch the highest possible playoff seed.
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The Jaguars next need to trade for a defensive tackle after acquiring Jessie Bates
The Jaguars probably aren't done making moves ahead of the deadline. Having taken care of the secondary, they'll surely turn their attention to the interior defensive line. While big names like Derrick Brown and Jalen Carter may be off limits, expect James Gladstone to make a push for both of them.
Acquiring either one wouldn't be cheap, but Gladstone had stated that he would've loved to trade for Jeffery Simmons, and he cost two first-round picks. This is a long-winded way to say that Jacksonville may not be afraid to make yet another splash, this time at defensive tackle.
If the Jags' pursuit of Brown or Carter falls short (there are no signs their respective teams are willing to trade them), though, you can bet that they'll turn their attention to players like Christian Barmore and Moro Ojomo, who
True to his nature, James Gladstone just made a swing to bolster the secondary. Having checked off that box, he can now look for a defensive tackle to put together a Super Bowl defense.
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