James Gladstone spent Tuesday afternoon explaining a deadline stretch that changed the Jaguars’ roster in a hurry, but he kept bringing the conversation back to the same point: these moves were about making Jacksonville better as a team, not just adding names.
The Jaguars’ GM met with local media after a busy few days that brought Jessie Bates, Davon Godchaux, and Jordan Davis to Jacksonville via trades. Gladstone said the additions are about more than raw talent. In his view, they fit the group already in place and should help the Jaguars function at a higher level.
“The idea that this is an all-in move isn’t necessarily how I’d characterize it,” Gladstone said. “I characterize it as getting better as a football team.”
He said the guiding principle behind every decision is doing what is best for the organization and the team. That belief, along with the trust he has in Coen, Lawrence, and the coaching staff, played into the deadline approach.
Gladstone also walked through how the deals came together. The Bates trade started in the early hours of Monday morning.
By early afternoon, talks with the Saints on Godchaux were taking shape. Then the focus shifted to Davis and the Eagles, with those conversations not beginning until Monday afternoon.
On Bates, Gladstone was direct about why the fit made sense.
“You can see very quickly that Jessie is a match for all the elements that we look for in both a player and a person,” Gladstone said of Bates.
Davis, meanwhile, was viewed through the lens of both present need and long-term value. Gladstone called where Davis is in his career “a major piece to the puzzle,” and said defensive tackle is a position that “ages well.” He also pointed to Davis’ continued development as a “big piece” of the reasoning behind the move.
The Jaguars’ defensive priorities remain clear. Gladstone said stopping the run is a major focus, and with plenty of season left, having more options for the stretch run matters.
He also laid out the identity he wants from that side of the ball: stopping the run, limiting explosive plays, and forcing takeaways. He said the three deadline additions help in those areas.
Gladstone also addressed Brian Thomas Jr., saying the team values him highly and expects plenty from him down the stretch.
“We have a ton of value when it comes to BTJ. His role and what I imagine his contribution will be down the stretch here is going to be notable. He’s such a good person to work with, he’s such a good teammate, and so I expect a lot of good in what lies in front.”
He also said the organization does value draft picks, though he framed that value around volume and the role of compensatory picks. “We value picks. We don’t always use them on the three days that exist in April.”
After three major trades on Monday, Gladstone said Tuesday was spent watching a lot of college football as he continued preparing for the NFL draft.
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