Two of Jacksonville’s newest additions won’t be making their debuts Sunday.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Friday that safety Jessie Bates and defensive tackle Jordan Davis will sit out the team’s game against the Titans. Coen explained that neither player had a bye week with his previous team, and the Jaguars want to give them time to get settled before putting them on the field.
“Want to be able to make sure [that with] player safety, putting them in a position to succeed, also learn the system, and just give those guys a week to be able to do that,” Coen said.
Davon Godchaux, who did have a bye, is expected to play.
Coen said the team had been discussing the possibility throughout the week and made the call Friday to hold both players out.
He also praised the way the newcomers have handled the transition.
“Yeah, I mean, Jesse Bates has been here until about 10:30 every night, which has been pretty cool seeing him in there learning, grinding, working through it,” Coen said. “There’s obviously so much that safeties have to be able to communicate and operate with in the backend of the entire structure.
I’ve really appreciated the way him, Jordan, and Davon have all gone through the work week. Obviously, Davon and Jesse have been through different organizations, teams, moves - this is new for Jordan.
And he’s worked his tail off with the strength and conditioning and sports science, athletic training guys this week. And he’s putting his best foot forward to hopefully be able to get out next week for us.”
Jacksonville is scheduled to travel to face the Giants in Week 11, when Davis and Bates are expected to make their debuts.
In Other News...
Jaguars Injury Report Leaves One Big Week 10 Question
Thursdays injury report offered the Jaguars a more encouraging look as they moved through practice ahead of their matchup with the Titans. Several Jacksonville players were listed as limited or non-participants, but the overall picture pointed in a better direction, with some key names getting back on the field and giving the team a clearer sense of where things stand entering the week.
Tennessees report told a much harsher story, with multiple starters already ruled out and the roster looking thin on both sides of the ball. For Jacksonville, the bigger question now is how much of that progress turns into availability by game time, especially with one important situation still hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars GM Defends The Risk Behind Jacksonvilles Trade Deadline Swings
James Gladstone spent the week defending the Jaguars trade deadline approach, and his message was pretty clear: the moves for Jessie Bates and Jordan Davis were made to make Jacksonville better now, not as some desperate all-in gamble. The Jaguars gave up meaningful draft capital, including early-round picks in 2027 and later selections in 2028 and 2029, but Gladstone framed the deals as part of a broader team-building plan rather than a break from it.
He also pushed back on the idea that the Jaguars are simply tossing future picks aside. Jacksonville still values draft capital, Gladstone said, but the front office is trying to manage it more flexibly by leaning on compensatory picks and keeping room to maneuver. In other words, the Jaguars are betting they can improve the roster without losing sight of the long game, even if the price of doing business looks steep right now. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Lawrence Could Make Jaguars Fans Notice This Week 10 Stack
With a few notable fantasy regulars sidelined this week, the DFS board has opened up in a way that can make the right Jaguars stack stand out. Trevor Lawrence gets a chance to benefit from a matchup that looks friendlier than usual, and in a week when managers are hunting for value, Jacksonvilles passing game has enough moving parts to draw real attention. Parker Washington and Brenton Strange are among the names that can help make the construction work, especially with opportunity often mattering more than reputation in this part of the season.
The appeal is not just Lawrence in a vacuum, but how the pieces around him could fit together if Jacksonville leans into the passing game. With injuries thinning out other options across the league, the Jaguars have become part of the conversation for lineups looking to balance safety and upside, and that puts extra focus on how the offense distributes targets. For fantasy players, the question is whether this is the week Lawrence and company turn a decent setup into a lineup-winning stack. [Read more 🡒]