The Jacksonville Jaguars made a splash on the eve of the November 10 trade deadline, acquiring defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, safety Jessie Bates III, and nose tackle Jordan Davis.
Before the trades, the Jags were in a position to make the playoffs. They're a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the aftermath. That said, some talking heads believe that general manager James Gladstone overpaid for all three players.
What critics are missing is that Jacksonville is setting its sights on the big picture and doesn't mind giving up a few premium picks if that means reaching the promised land. Moreover, the price Gladstone paid makes even more sense in light of a recent report.
The Jaguars had to beat the Bills in a bidding war for Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Jaguars got into a bidding war with the Buffalo Bills, pointing out that they were also interested in landing Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III.
"The two teams that were most aggressive in trading for Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis were the Bills and Jaguars, who wound up trading a first- and a second-round pick to the Eagles," Schefter wrote ahead of Week 10. "The two teams most aggressive for former Falcons safety Jessie Bates also were the Bills and Jaguars, who traded second-and fifth-round picks to Atlanta."
Schefter continued, "After the Jaguars traded for Davis and Bates, the Bills pivoted to two safeties: Arizona's Budda Baker and Tennessee's Amarni Hooker. The Cardinals declined to trade their respective veteran safety, but the Titans listened and agreed to trade Hooker and a fifth-round pick to the Bills for a second-round pick."
While Schefter doesn't reveal what kind of compensation the Bills offered, their bid may have ultimately forced the Jags to ramp up their bid. On the other hand, they deserve praise for landing both of them, even though Buffalo was also pursuing them.
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The new intel makes the Jaguars' trades for Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis look much better
With added context, giving up a combined three premium draft picks the next two years doesn't look that bad in retrospect. But even without the benefit of hindsight, the Jags' decision to trade for both Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III looks great.
After all, Davis will shore up a run defense that sorely misses DaVon Hamilton, the heart and soul of the Jacksonville defense. Moreover, Davis is a better pass rusher from the interior than Ham, so not only will he replace him but will be an upgrade at defensive tackle. Something similar will happen with Jessie Bates III.
While Eric Murray brought an element of grittiness to the secondary, he wasn't that much of a ballhawk. Bates will change that, as he excels at creating turnovers and stymying the run, so he'll add a big-play capability to an already talented back end. When you add it all up, it's easy to see why Jacksonville forked out a second for Bates and a first and a second for Davis.
Heck, the coaching staff knows just how valuable Davis and Bates will be down the stretch, which is why both of them will sit out against Tennessee in Week 10 — neither Davis nor Bates has had their bye.
The question is no longer whether the Jaguars will win the AFC South (they will) but rather how far they can go. With Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates in the mix, the sky is the limit. And if they reach the promised land, the price they paid for both of them will look way better than it already does.
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