The Jacksonville Jaguars made the kind of deadline swing that changes the conversation around a team, and Pat McAfee thinks the timing says everything.
With Liam Coen’s club coming out of a record-setting NFL Trade Deadline with star defenders Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis, the Jaguars suddenly look like a team pushing hard for 2026. The move for Davis came after Jacksonville had been linked to Jalen Carter, and the trade was enough to leave plenty of fans stunned.
McAfee, speaking on The Pat McAfee show and as a contributor to ESPN’s College Gameday, framed the whole run of moves as the payoff for a long wait.
“Trevor Lawrence has been stupendous, he has been everything we hoped he would be coming out of Clemson, when they were saying he was maybe the next John Elway or Andrew Luck. You find the right coach, find the right motivator, good things start to happen, and that's been Liam Coen…They've been waiting, and waiting to go all-in…Now they add Jessie Bates III, who (has) a Hall-of-Fame resume, you get Jordan Davis from the Eagles moments ago…They're goin' all-in.”
He didn’t stop there.
“They've given up a lot, but they can see it, they can say it, and the AFC South and the NFL as a whole might be in trouble.”
Jacksonville earned a strong grade for the Bates III deal and now turns to the field to see how quickly the new pieces can settle in. The next chance comes Sunday, November 15 in Tennessee against the Titans.
For Coen’s Jaguars, the message is clear: the front office is acting like a team that believes its window is open now. McAfee said it plainly, and Jaguars fans are right there with him.
In Other News...
Seahawks Just Added A Big Name To Fix Their Run Game
The trade market has become one of the more active parts of the NFL calendar in 2024, and Jacksonville has already been part of the movement. The Jaguars have added defensive help through deals for Jordan Davis, Jessie Bates III and Davon Godchaux, a clear sign that the front office has not been shy about trying to patch holes while the season is still in motion.
Around the league, the pace has only picked up as the deadline approaches, with 13 in-season trades already completed. Baltimore brought in Jacoby Brissett, Chicago landed Jeffery Simmons and Seattle addressed its own issues by getting guard Quenton Nelson, another reminder that teams are willing to pay for immediate help when they think a roster can still be pushed forward. For Jacksonville, the bigger question is whether its own early moves are enough, or whether the Jaguars will keep working the phones before the market closes. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Pass Rush Search May Not Be Over After Mondays Moves
The Jaguars spent Monday reshaping their roster with three trades, but their work on the pass rush may not be finished. Before those moves, Jacksonville reportedly made a significant offer for Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV, a sign the front office was still looking for another edge presence even as it addressed other needs elsewhere.
McDonald has been open about wanting a change of scenery after seeing reduced playing time, but New York has so far held firm. The Jets still believe in the former first-round picks talent and development, and with McDonald under contract through 2026 plus a fifth-year option for 2027, any pursuit would likely have to become more serious before this one moves any closer to the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Made A Jordan Davis Move Fans Need To Unpack
With the trade deadline approaching, the Jaguars have been busy trying to patch up a defense that has been hit by injuries and needed more help in both the secondary and the front seven. In a flurry of moves, Jacksonville added Jordan Davis, Davon Godchaux and Jessie Bates, sending draft picks to the Eagles, Saints and Falcons as part of a clear push to get sturdier on that side of the ball.
For a team trying to stay in the mix, the appeal is obvious: Davis brings size up front, Godchaux adds another body to the interior and Bates gives the back end a proven presence. The cost in picks shows how aggressively Jacksonville is treating this stretch of the season, and it also leaves the bigger question of how quickly all three can settle in and make the defense look more complete. [Read more 🡒]