The Jacksonville Jaguars made big waves around the NFL on Monday when they acquired defensive tackle Jordan Davis in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Jaguars already made a splash by trading for former Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III on Monday morning, but followed it up with a tsunami in the early evening. 

Jacksonville paid a steep price for Bates, sending Atlanta its second-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round pick in 2028.

That was pocket change compared to the 2027 first-round pick and 2029 second-round selection the Jaguars paid to acquire Davis.

I gave the trades mostly positive reviews. The Bates trade earned a B+, with the assumption that he will net Jacksonville a projected fourth-round compensatory selection if he leaves in free agency after the season, as expected.

The trade for Davis was much tougher to grade. The enormous amount of draft capital it took to bring him to Duval was certainly a huge factor, especially for a salary-cap-strapped team like the Jaguars, who will need the cheap labor draft picks offer. However, for a team that has never made a Super Bowl, I credited general manager James Gladstone for going for it.

Ultimately, I gave the trade a B-, acknowledging it would be an "A" if Davis helps the Jaguars reach the Super Bowl.

The national media has not nearly been as kind.

ESPN was especially harsh, giving the Jaguars a resounding "F" grade for the "reckless" trade.

Seth Walder gave the Jaguars the lowest grade available for the trade, and it sounds like he would have given the team an even lower grade if one existed. He gave the Eagles an "A" for their ability to coax such an enormous return for Davis.

Jaguars grade: F

Eagles grade: A

"There's no other way to start this: This trade is a disaster for Jacksonville.

"The Jaguars are absolutely right to go for it. Entering Monday, they had a 12.8% chance to win the Super Bowl, per ESPN's Football Power Index, second highest of any team and best in the AFC. And that's why I was OK with them rolling the dice on Jessie Bates III earlier in the day. A late-round pick for Davon Godchaux, too? Fine. But first- and second-round picks for Davis? Reckless would be putting it mildly.

"The numbers do not paint a picture of Davis being someone who is worth anywhere near that type of trade compensation. He has played 52% of snaps for the Eagles. That number is not particularly unusual for a run-stuffing nose tackle, but that's exactly the point: The Jaguars just dealt first- and second-round picks for a part-time player who helps only against the run! There is no world where that is worth it.

"Davis has a run stop win rate in the 71st percentile among interior defenders this season. He was in the 93rd percentile in 2025 and the 52nd percentile in 2024. This season, he has a 13.5% run stop rate -- the rate at which a player records a tackle on a run that resulted in a successful play for the defense by EPA -- per NFL Next Gen Stats, 14th best among defensive tackles with at least 100 run defense snaps and just behind former Eagles teammate Moro Ojomo. In other words, he has been a good run defender, not elite.

"Though Davis record(ed) 4.5 sacks last season, the Jaguars can't count on that. Davis has been in the 12th percentile or worse in pass rush win rate among defensive tackles in each of 2024, 2025 and 2026.

"I thought that the Bears' trade for Jeffery Simmons (two first-round picks) was an overpay and that last year's Cowboys deal for Quinnen Williams (first and second-round picks) was ill-advised. But in each of those cases the acquiring team was getting a much better player -- and someone who is dangerous rushing the passer.

"Davis is under contract through the 2029 season. The Jaguars will be on the hook for $18.4 million (mostly fully guaranteed) in 2027, $26 million in 2028 (most of which will become fully guaranteed in 2027) and $26 million in 2029. So relative to other nose tackles, he's not even cheap for Jacksonville going forward.

"The Jaguars did recently lose nose tackle DaVon Hamilton to a season-ending injury but had seemingly addressed that with the Godchaux trade earlier Monday. Even without that move, overpaying on such a massive scale for Davis does not make sense.

"This is one of those trades that ought to induce marvel at Howie Roseman and the Eagles. How were they able to swindle the Jaguars into this?"

Tell us what you really think, Seth.

The Athletic wasn't much kinder, giving the Jaguars a "D-" for the trade, though they were most optimistic about the future cost of Davis' salary amid an exploding market for DTs.

Though it is impossible to argue that Jacksonville overpaid for Davis, I stand by my own grade. The Jaguars have never reached a Super Bowl. Davis helps their chances of getting there this year, especially after losing Hamilton for the season.

That is, or at least, should be, the main factor when grading the trade.

Keep in mind, Hamilton is a free agent after this season. Hamilton is three years older than Davis, and re-signing him would likely cost more than Davis will over the next three seasons. If Jacksonville's options were either re-signing Hamilton at a Davis-like price (likely more), losing Hamilton in free agency with no replacement, or paying Davis his contract, I think the team made the best choice for the future.

The comparisons to the Cowboys' trade for Williams make sense. Dallas gave up the same compensation to acquire Williams, who is a better player than Davis.

Here's the difference: Jacksonville is a Super Bowl contender. Dallas just delusionally convinces itself it is and makes moves under that (wrong) assumption.

When a team has an opportunity to get to the Super Bowl, it should go for it.

The Jaguars deserve credit for doing just that, even if it comes at a steep price.

Getting to the Super Bowl isn't easy. Even teams that most think have a shot fall short. Hell, the Eagles were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders and are rotting in last place in the entire NFC at 2-7.

Most people predicted the Houston Texans would overtake the Jaguars in the AFC South, and they were a popular pick to make their first Super Bowl. The Texans are currently 3-5 and will need to go on a huge run over the season's second half for the second year in a row just to make the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Chargers were another trendy Super Bowl pick. How is their season going? How about 0-8? They are the only NFL team without a win and have a minus-98 point differential. If their coach's last name wasn't Harbaugh, he would have been fired weeks ago.

The Jaguars are taking a big risk with their trade for Davis. If that risk ends in a Super Bowl, the price won't matter. The Rams are revered for their "F-them picks" mentality. Why criticize the Jaguars for their aggressiveness?

Like with the doubts and dismissals of the Jaguars before the season, the only way the team will silence its critics is to win, and win big.

Hopefully, Davis can make that happen.