The Jacksonville Jaguars capped their flurry of activity on the eve of the NFL's 2026 trade deadline with a blockbuster: they traded a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick for Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
Davis was the 13th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia and was also a starter on the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX title team in the 2024 season. Jacksonville doesn't have to worry about a long-term contract with Davis since Philadelphia extended Davis on a three-year, $78 million extension this past offseason. On Monday, the Jaguars have relinquished a 2027 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2028 fifth-round pick, a 2028 sixth-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick for the services of Davis, Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III and New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.
Meanwhile, the Eagles now have 10 draft picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft across the next three years. They have their own first-round pick and second-round pick, plus the Jaguars' first-round pick in 2027. They have their own first-round pick and own second-round pick plus the New England Patriots' first-round pick (A.J. Brown trade) and the Baltimore Ravens' second-round pick (Cam Jurgens trade) in 2028. In 2029, they have their own first-round pick, their own second-round pick and the Jaguars' second-round pick (Jordan Davis trade).
So how does each side grade out in Monday evening's blockbuster deal? Let's dive in.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B-
The Jaguars are right to go all in for the 2026 season. The Buffalo Bills (6-1) have one of the leakiest secondaries in the NFL, allowing 254.7 passing yards per game (the third-most in the entire NFL). The Denver Broncos (7-2) have offensive inconsistency issues because of quarterback Bo Nix, whose 5.6 air yards per pass attempt is the second-worst among 31 qualified quarterbacks this season. Nix's 5.6 air yards per pass attempt is mere decimal points ahead of Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) quarterback Patrick Mahomes' 5.6 air yards per pass attempt to avoid being dead last in the league. Mahomes' league-worst air yards per pass attempt figure has more to do with the Chiefs' limited passing game options than an unwillingness to throw the ball downfield like Nix.
The AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and he will be 43 years old by the time the playoffs begin. Jacksonville beat the Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) in a narrow, one-score game earlier this season, and the New England Patriots (5-4) just got decimated at home (45-27) by quarterback Jordan Love and his Green Bay Packers.
Jacksonville's timing is right, but the price they paid for Davis is not. A first-round pick and a second-round pick for Davis isn't all that different from what the Chicago Bears gave up (2027 and 2028 first-round picks plus a 2027 fourth-round pick) for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the best defensive tackle in football at the moment. Sure, the Jaguars were never going to get Simmons since he was on an AFC South division rival, the Tennessee Titans, but couldn't they have gotten Davis for a slightly cheaper price? The Bears are getting a player whose 17 sacks over the last two seasons are the most in the league among defensive tackles, while Davis has just 9.5 career sacks.
Yes, Davis can be incredibly impactful in the run game just because of his frame (6-feet-6-inches tall while weighing 336 pounds), but one would think that the Jaguars would have been able to acquire a more well-rounded defensive tackle at the price point of a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick. Davis will certainly help Jacksonville, but what they gave up for him was a little rich.
Philadelphia Eagles: A
Hats off to Eagles general manager Howie Roseman because he's done it again. He recognized that the 2026 season was dead with quarterback Jalen Hurts (blood clots) sidelined, and the team was on a seven-game losing streak, putting their record at 2-7 through nine games. Roseman also extended two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jalen Carter on a four-year, $152 million extension last offseason, and it was clear that Philadelphia likely wouldn't be able to keep both Carter and Davis for years to come in order to have a well-balanced roster.
Roseman was able to trade away the lesser player of the two, and he recouped first-round and second-round draft capital in the deal. He couldn't have asked for anything more, and he'll be able to rebuild the Eagles in no time with 10 picks in the first two rounds of the draft across the next three years.
