The Jacksonville Jaguars believe they can win the Super Bowl this season and on Monday they made, count ’em, three trades to upgrade their defense at a significant cost of draft picks just ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
The Jaguars acquired defensive tackle Jordan Davis from the Philadelphia Eagles to anchor the interior of their defensive line in exchange for a 2027 first-round draft pick and a 2029 second-round draft pick.
Davis, 26, was the Eagles’ 2022 first-round pick.
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And, yes, that move is meant to help the Jaguars run defense, but it was part of a bigger strategy because the Jaguars spent Monday adding three defensive players, including Davis.
Jacksonville earlier on Monday acquired former Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a second and fifth-round draft pick.
And the team also added defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
The Jaguars have a 6-2 record, have won five of their last six games, and are getting great play from quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is tied for fourth in TD passes with 18 and has a 111.7 quarterback rating that is fifth-best in the NFL.
The Jaguars boast the NFL’s fourth-leading scoring offense but obviously decided a championship push needed to upgrade a defense that is also outstanding as the second-best scoring unit in the league but could use help against excellent running teams such as the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs.
The other side of the Jaguars and their win-now approach?
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That would be the Philadelphia Eagles.
They’ve traded away A.J. Brown, moved on Cam Jurgens and now have shipped Davis to Jacksonville.
The Eagles have the worst record in the NFC and are clearly looking to the future. That future includes two first-round picks in 2027, two first-round picks in 2028 and two second-round picks in 2029.
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The Eagles got older, veterans such as Lane Johnson retired, and the quarterback situation with Jalen Hurts and his blood clot situation is uncertain.
So, the Eagles are looking to the future.
The Jaguars are looking to the Super Bowl.