The Jacksonville Jaguars found themselves in the Super Bowl contender conversation after trouncing the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. But despite their 6-2 record, the Jags felt like they still could get better. They did, when they made a series of trades that sent shockwaves across the NFL.
On the eve of the November 10 deadline, Jacksonville traded for Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III and later acquired defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. However, the biggest splash came when general manager James Gladstone managed to land defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Sure, it wasn't cheap, as he had to give up a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round. But it was worth it.
The Jaguars have some of the best NFL odds to win the Super Bowl
See, this isn't about whether the Jaguars overpaid for talent. What matters is that they pushed all their chips in with their sights on Championship Sunday. And with this in mind, here are their updated odds of winning the Super Bowl following their flurry of trades.
Following the win over Baltimore, Jacksonville had Super Bowl odds of +950, according to DraftKings. Only the San Francisco 49ers (+540) and the Buffalo Bills (+650) had better odds. But those same odds moved to+750 after trading for the trio of Davon Godchaux, Jessie Bates III, and Jordan Davis.
Keep in mind that as recently as Week 7, Jacksonville's odds stood at +1,300. And if you want to go back to the offseason, they sat at +3,000.
Simply put, the Jaguars have come a long way, but maybe, just maybe, they were good to begin with. It's just that analysts are starting to catch up to them and tweaking expectations after watching them deliver.
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The Jaguars load up on talent of fend off the Bills, Chiefs and other AFC powerhouses
The Jaguars knew that getting over the hump won't be easy when they have teams like the Buffalo Bills, the Denver Broncos, and the Kansas City Chiefs in their way. That they needed to load up on talent if they wanted to have a shot at beating whoever stood in their path. This is why it wasn't shocking to see Jacksonville go in at the trade deadline. That's the kind of mindset that will get you all the way to the Super Bowl.
You could make the case that the Jags are being reckless, not worrying about the future because they're too focused on the moment. However, they didn't suddenly wake up and decide to burn through their draft picks. Sure, James Gladstone could have trouble replenishing the roster in future years without premium selections, but he can do it, especially when you take into account that he does a good job of acquiring talent in the later rounds of the draft.
Of course there's a chance the Jaguars' bet won't pay off, but they know that's a possibility. And even if that was the case, they'll go down swinging. But for the time being, bettors are warming up to the idea that Jacksonville is a legitimate contender.
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