With the NFL’s trade deadline on Tuesday, Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was tasked with turning his team from merely Super Bowl contenders into Super Bowl favorites. 

There was an argument to be made that the Jaguars were in a tier just below the Buffalo Bills and possibly the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC. The trade deadline offered a perfect opportunity for the Jaguars to make up that distance. 

Jacksonville got off to an early start early Monday morning by making a big splash. 

With starting safety Eric Murray out for the season with an elbow injury, the Jaguars made an aggressive move by trading for three-time All-Pro safety Jessie Bates from the Atlanta Falcons. 

Jacksonville paid a steep price to acquire Bates. The Jaguars sent Atlanta their 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Bates is only signed through the remainder of this season, making him a likely rental for the Jaguars, who are already scheduled to be over the salary cap in 2027.

However, the impact Bates can make for the remainder of this season is worth the price. He is a perfect fit to pair with Antonio Johnson.

Bates excels as a deep safety, while Johnson is at his best roaming everywhere along the defense, especially close to the line of scrimmage.

That doesn't mean Bates is limited to what he contributes. Far from it. Bates is an active tackler in run defense. He actually had the best EPA on run stops due to the two forced fumbles he has in run support.

If Bates leaves the Jaguars in free agency, as expected, the Jaguars are projected to receive a fourth-round compensatory pick for him, which is an upgrade from the 2028 fifth-round pick they sent away to acquire him.

That makes the trade look even better.

The Bills, who may be the current favorite to win the AFC, were reported to be interested in Bates after releasing C.J. Gardner-Johnson last week. Jacksonville has now prevented its main competition for a Super Bowl berth from acquiring him.

Another win.

The trade proves the Jaguars are doing whatever they can to reach the Super Bowl for the first time. 

Pairing Bates with Johnson gives Jacksonville an elite safety duo for the rest of the season. 

The only issue with this trade is the high price the Jaguars paid to acquire Bates. 

However, if he helps Jacksonville make a run to the Super Bowl, it will absolutely be worth it. 

The Jaguars are a better team after trading for Bates. That is the most important thing to consider when grading the trade. 

Trade grade: B+