The long ball is no longer something to fear if you're a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars. This week Jimmy Stones, I'm sorry, that's unprofessional, James Gladstone traded a second- and fifth-round pick to grab Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons.
The transaction was the first of many that day, and all three of them turned the Jags into bona fide Super Bowl contenders in 2026.
Bates' spot at the top of the depth chart should be obvious. However, for somebody to win, someone else has to lose. One big loser from the widely¡celebrated trade is rookie safety Jalen Huskey.
Before Week 10 began, Huskey was a struggling third-round pick who was trying to crack a rotation of DBs that desperately needed somebody to step up. Now, he could be a special teamer at best and a healthy scratch on Sundays at worst.
The Jaguars made their feelings known right before the trade deadline
Huskey was drafted out of Maryland with the 100th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. As a Big Ten alum who frequently played against some of the best competition in the country, he felt like a decent pick who would be able to contribute here and there.
As his rookie campaign played out, it became clear that the front office's optimism was misplaced.
Huskey has only logged 28 snaps in 2026 and has a 62.2 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. Injuries all over the secondary should have led to the 23-year-old seeing way more playing time, but the coaching staff clearly saw something that we didn't during practice.
Post-trade, Huskey's long-term future in Jacksonville probably isn't in danger. Bates is on an expiring contract, and the Falcons agreed to pay most of his remaining salary to get the deal done. If the Jags win a championship, it'll be one of the best short-term rentals in NFL history.
Gladstone won't be able to keep everybody together after this season, so Huskey can at least breathe a sigh of relief with that in mind.
What's next for Jalen Huskey?
Whether you're a Huskey homer or not, it's fair to say he got indirectly demoted with the trade for Bates. Before this week, Rayuan Lane was the young gun stepping up to fill in wherever he was needed. In fact, Big Navy played so well against the Indianapolis Colts that he was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Lane's growth as a traditional defender happened while he was honing his craft on special teams. While he didn't get a lot of chances to play on defense, he dressed out every week and contributed to the organization's 13 wins in his own way.
Huskey will need to lean on Lane's experience as a homegrown prospect in an organization that's proven it isn't scared to introduce outside talent into its intangibly-rich ecosystem. If he can do so, he and his teammate will be able to withstand the storm of competition Gladstone's bringing in to win a Lombardi Trophy ASAP.
For what it's worth, staying ready for the worst-case scenario would rekindle the front office's belief in him as well. No one wants to think about the unthinkable, but the number of injuries in the NFL this year has reached a historic clip.
It'll be all hands on deck in Duval County from now until the final whistle blows. If Huskey, or anyone else, wants to stick around in 2027, they better prove that they can keep this train moving without another huge infusion of talent.
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