The Jacksonville Jaguars were Super Bowl contenders before the NFL's trade deadline this past Tuesday.

Now, they are one of the favorites.

Already 6-2 heading into the deadline, the Jaguars went “all-in” on reaching the franchise’s first Super Bowl. 

Jacksonville paid a steep price to improve its team, sending 2027 first- and second-round picks, 2028 fifth- and sixth-round picks, and a second-round pick in 2029. 

The haul? 

The Jaguars acquired defensive tackle Jordan Davis in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles (my trade grade). They also got three-time All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons (grade) and DT Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints (grade). 

Most of the national media has heavily criticized Jacksonville for giving up next year’s first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick for Davis. 

However, there is no denying that the three trades make the Jaguars significantly better, especially after the season-ending injuries to DT DaVon Hamilton and safety Eric Murray. 

Jacksonville is now running neck-and-neck with the Buffalo Bills to be considered favorites to win the AFC. 

Despite the improvements the team made, Jacksonville’s trades come with a significant amount of risk. 

The five draft picks the Jaguars gave up mean a lot of future assets are already gone, and the team decided against trading WR Brian Thomas Jr., which could have recouped at least a second- or third-round pick. 

However, the Jaguars weren’t going to let the injuries to Hamilton and Murray lower their ceiling this season. Not only did Jacksonville find a suitable replacement for each player, but they also found an upgrade at both positions. 

While ESPN and The Athletic criticized the Jaguars, Eric Edholm and Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports praised their moves, giving Jacksonville’s trade deadline move a collaborative “A-” grade. 

General manager James Gladstone wasn’t about to let the incredible opportunity the Jaguars have in front of them be taken away by unfortunate injuries to a pair of key defensive starters. 

Gladstone made a calculated risk that improves his team’s chances this year, and Yahoo credits Jacksonville for going for it. 

"We can't ignore the cost involved with the Jaguars' series of trades. They traded away a first-round pick, two seconds, a fifth and a sixth. But the mission is clear: Safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux are coming to help the Jaguars make their first Super Bowl. You have to admire the courage to be aggressive and chase a title."

I agree with Edholm and Schwab that the Jaguars should be applauded for doing whatever it takes to hopefully reach the Super Bowl.

However, the price paid for Davis, Bates, and Godchaux is really going to hamper the team's chances at prolonged success, putting a ton of pressure on the Jaguars to get to the Super Bowl this year. If they don't, the trades will look like mistakes.

I also think the Jaguars made a mistake by keeping Thomas. Trading him could have brought back at least some of what Jacksonville traded away. It is questionable at best that a team wouldn't accept a second- or third-round pick for a player who has fallen off a cliff and doesn't appear to be part of the organization's long-term plans.

That decision takes down Jacksonville's overall grade for the trade deadline. I think Yahoo's grade was especially kind and optimistic. I would give the Jaguars a "B-" or 'C" for their trade deadline moves (and non-move).