The Jacksonville Jaguars just increased their Super Bowl odds in the aftermath of a flurry of trades on the eve of the November 10 deadline. Of the three deals they got done, the splash for Jordan Davis is the one that got the spotlight. Sure, acquiring a Pro Bowl safety in Jessie Bates III was also a big swing, but it didn't send nearly as many shockwaves across the NFL.
See, the Jags sent a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles in return for Davis. While a player is worth what a team is willing to pay him, or in this case, give up for him, the consensus believes Jacksonville overpaid.
The issue with that angle is that it's missing the forest for the trees, as Jacksonville isn't worried about the cost of the trade and is instead pushing all its chips in with the Super Bowl in sight. That said, analysts wasted no time bashing the trade for Davis.
The Jaguars are being blasted for the Jordan Davis trade
Seth Walder of ESPN blasted the Jaguars for the Jordan Davis trade, giving them an F for paying a premium for a player whose stats don't match the cost.
"The numbers do not paint a picture of Davis being someone who is worth anywhere near that type of trade compensation," Walder wrote. "He has played 52% of snaps for the Eagles. That number is not particularly unusual for a run-stuffing nose tackle, but that's exactly the point: The Jaguars just dealt first- and second-round picks for a part-time player who helps only against the run! There's no world where that is worth it."
Walder's assessment of Davis is flawed. For starters, he was worth a first and a second because Jacksonville was willing to pay that for him. On the other hand, the former Georgia Bulldog is more than a run stuffer, registering 4.5 sacks last year. One big reason he wasn't nearly as dominant this season is that he's dealt with a wrist injury.
Moreover, the Jags lost DaVon Hamilton, who was a big reason they had the best run defense in the NFL. Davis will fill the void left by his absence and add a bit of pass-rush juice along the way. If that wasn't enough, Ham is slated to become a free agent in 2027. Davis would be a younger replacement with a higher ceiling.
Of course, Walder wasn't the only prominent analyst who questioned the Jags' trade. Heck, there's a widespread belief that the Jags overpaid. Former Eagles executive Joe Banner was highly critical of the move, posting on Twitter that Davis has struggled to keep his weight in check and has been terrible this year.
Even if that were true, which it is not, Philly just gave Davis a three-year deal worth $78 million in the offseason, so it's clear the Jaguars aren't the only team that values him.
Heck, the only reason the Eagles traded Davis was that the Jags made an aggressive push for him and were willing to pay a premium for him. Otherwise, you can bet that they would've kept him around.
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The Jaguars know Jordan Davis is more valuable than the draft picks they gave up
The Jaguars have routinely been the subject of criticism because they don't care what others think about their moves. They raised eyebrows for drafting tight end Nate Boekircher in Round 2 despite the fact that the consensus big board suggested he should go in the fourth. Yet, the pick has turned out to be fine. Something similar happened with Travis Hunter in 2025.
Jacksonville seemingly overpaid to move up for Hunter, but he's just kind of impact he can have the outcome of the game. You can't put a price on that, and the same applies to the Jordan Davis trade. On paper, it looks good, as the Jags acquired him in an effort to give themselves a better chance to make the Super Bowl.
And if the Jordan Davis trade achieves its purpose, nobody will care what the Jaguars had to fork out. Instead, they'll be heralded as genious.
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