The Jacksonville Jaguars have arguably their best shot ever to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history. 

The trade deadline proved the Jaguars were willing to pay a steep price to get there. 

Tuesday was a quiet day for Jacksonville and general manager James Gladstone, likely because the Jaguars barely had anything left to offer in a trade. 

That’s because, on Monday, the Jaguars traded away much of their future to acquire three players who greatly improve their chances this season. 

Saying a team is going “all-in” is one of the most overused phrases in all of sports. 

In Jacksonville’s case, it is absolutely true. 

The Jaguars traded away their 2027 first- and second-round picks, 2028 fifth-and sixth-round picks, and their 2029 second-round pick for safety Jessie Bates III and DTs Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux. 

Jacksonville is undeniably a better football team now than it was before, which is a scary thought for a team that was 6-2 and dominating at a pace we haven’t seen before. 

But, have they cemented themselves as favorites in the tough AFC? 

To recap, here is a quick recap of the moves the Jaguars made. 

Jacksonville started Monday morning with a bang by sending the Atlanta Falcons next year’s second- and 2028 fifth-round picks for three-time All-Pro safety Jessie Bates. (Trade grade)

In Bates, the Jaguars get not only a replacement for injured starter Eric Murray, but likely a significant upgrade. 

Bates is scheduled to be a free agent after the season and is very likely to sign elsewhere due to the Jaguars’ cap situation. Jacksonville paid a steep price for only half a season from Bates. 

Next was a small move. The Jaguars traded their 2028 sixth-round selection to the New Orleans Saints for DT Davon Godchaux. (Trade grade)

Jacksonville had a need for a run-stuffing nose tackle after DaVon Hamilton’s season-ending injury, and found one in Godchaux. 

Then came the stunning blockbuster. The Jaguars sent a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for DT Jordan Davis, despite already trading for Godchaux. (Trade grade)

The Davis trade has been heavily criticized by the national media as a massive overpay. ESPN called it “reckless” and “a disaster for Jacksonville.”

It may also be the move that pushes the Jaguars over the top this season. 

Do those moves make the Jaguars clear favorites to win the AFC?

The AFC is loaded with terrific teams. 

The Buffalo Bills, with perennial MVP candidate Josh Allen, are running through the league and sit atop the conference at 7-1. 

Right behind them are the 7-2 Denver Broncos, who own a victory over the Jaguars in Week 2. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are 6-2. Their signing of RB Kenneth Walker III has them once again looking like the juggernaut we have come to expect over the last decade. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are also 6-2, while the defending AFC champions, the New England Patriots, remain dangerous at 5-4. 

The Jaguars have terrific wins over both the Bengals and Patriots this season. 

Both the Bills and Chiefs made significant trades of their own. Buffalo traded for ball-hawking safety Amani Hooker from the Titans, while the Chiefs added playmaking WR Josh Downs from the rebuilding Colts. 

Time will tell, but it is hard to argue that any AFC team did more to improve at the deadline than the Jaguars. 

The moves for Bates and Davis are the two most significant additions any AFC team has made, and they have greatly raised Jacksonville’s ceiling. 

I think the Jaguars and Bills are running neck-and-neck, with the Chiefs a half-step behind. I believe the others are in a tier below. 

The Jaguars may not be clear favorites after the deadline, but no other team increased its chances of reaching the Super Bowl more. 

The second half of the season promises to be incredibly exciting.