The Jacksonville Jaguars kept busy on the defensive side of the ball, landing another reinforcement just hours after their deal for All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III. This time, the target was New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, with The Athletic reporting that Jacksonville will send a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick to New Orleans. If the conditions are met, that selection can become a 2027 sixth-rounder.
There is a wrinkle attached to the pick. The Jaguars do not currently own a 2027 sixth-rounder, having sent it to the Giants in August in the trade for offensive lineman Daniel Faalele.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, if the pick upgrades, any 2027 sixth-rounder Jacksonville later acquires would be the one sent to the Saints. Spotrac currently projects the Jaguars to receive two sixth-round compensatory sixth-round picks in 2027.
The move comes with a clear purpose. Jacksonville had been looking for help at defensive tackle after DaVon Hamilton went down with a torn quad in Week 8, leaving a hole in the middle of the front. The Bates trade addressed a different issue, helping cover for Eric Murray, who is out for the season with an elbow issue.
On paper, the Jaguars are adding a player built for the job they need done. Godchaux is heading to the fourth team of his career since entering the league in 2017 as a fifth-round pick, and his value is centered on stopping the run. He has not had a sack since 2022, but he has remained effective against the ground game and has 15 tackles this season, including one tackle for loss.
He started five of New Orleans’ first eight games and could step right into the lineup when Jacksonville visits the Tennessee Titans in Week 10. Liam Coen has a choice to make: plug Godchaux in immediately or bring him off the bench in place of Ruke Orhorhoro, who likely would have started without the trade. Arik Armstead remains the other starting interior defensive lineman.
The Jaguars’ defense already looks like a strength, and the numbers back that up. Jacksonville ranks fifth against the run at 89.3 yards allowed per game and sits second in scoring defense at 15.1 points per game. Adding Godchaux should help keep that standard intact.
The trade grades reflected that logic. Jacksonville received a B+, with the move described as another sign that general manager James Gladstone is pushing chips in ahead of the deadline. Godchaux is not viewed as a headline-grabbing addition, but he fills a real need, and the fact that the Jaguars dealt a conditional pick they do not yet own was framed as smart business.
New Orleans earned a B for the return. The Saints currently have the NFL’s fourth-worst run defense, so moving on from Godchaux made sense.
The pick they received was considered solid value for a player who was not making a major impact, especially since they had given the Patriots a seventh-rounder to acquire him a year ago. That means they got that back and a little more, even if the upgrade is only modest.
In Other News...
Jaguars May Have Forced A Bills Trade Deadline Response
The trade market for safeties has suddenly become part of the conversation in Buffalo, and the Jaguars may have helped push it there. After Jacksonville landed Jessie Bates, one of the top options at the position, the Bills are now being linked to a search for help on the back end as they look for ways to sharpen a defense that still has room to grow.
Buffalo is said to be keeping tabs on other names such as Budda Baker and Amani Hooker, but neither would come cheaply and there is no guarantee the Bills actually pull the trigger. Still, the timing matters for a team trying to position itself as a contender this season, and Jacksonville's move has at least added a little more urgency to what Buffalo does next. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Deadline Suddenly Centers On One Shocking Brian Thomas Jr. Decision
The Jaguars have already been active in reshaping the roster, swinging deals for safety Jessie Bates and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux while sending draft picks to Atlanta for Bates. Those moves signaled a front office willing to do business, and with the trade deadline set for Nov. 10, Jacksonville suddenly looks like a team that could keep working the phones if the right opportunity comes along.
What has made the deadline chatter more jarring is the report that the Jaguars are open to listening to offers for Brian Thomas Jr. amid continued speculation around wide receiver help across the league. For a team trying to balance immediate upgrades with long-term planning, even being willing to hear out interest in a player of Thomas profile changes the tone of the deadline conversation in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Just Made Their Boldest Win-Now Statement Yet
The Jaguars have made a clear push to strengthen their roster for the stretch run, landing All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III from the Falcons in a move that brings one of the leagues most established defensive backs to Jacksonville. Bates arrives with a reputation for range and playmaking in the back end, and the price tag reflects how serious the Jaguars are about improving a secondary that needed help if this season was going to end in January.
Jacksonville sent Atlanta a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to get the deal done, a notable commitment for a player in the final year of his contract. Bates is expected to hit free agency after the season, which leaves the Jaguars facing an immediate question beyond the postseason chase: whether this bold swing is a one-year rental or the start of a longer-term fit. [Read more 🡒]