Jaguars Go All In With Blockbuster Defensive Trades

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Pushing The Odds with Matt Perrault

Jaguars Push Their Chips In With a Defensive Trade Spree

Tip your cap to the Jaguars. They acquired Jordan Davis from the Eagles, Jesse Bates from the Falcons and Devon Gocho from the Saints, giving up five draft picks in the process. Their message is clear: Forget the picks. They are going all in.

The Jaguars are now the third option to win the Super Bowl at +750 at most sportsbooks. I already liked Jacksonville entering the year. I bet Trevor Lawrence to win MVP, took the over on his total yardage and backed the over on the team’s win total. I was in on the Jaguars before these moves, and now they are pushing every chip into the middle.

Jacksonville can look at the AFC and say it is not afraid of the Chiefs or Broncos. The Bills may present a concern, but that makes adding defensive players who can help stop Josh Allen even more important.

We already know what Liam Cohen’s offense can do. Lawrence is playing tremendously well, Parker Washington is on an amazing run and the Jaguars have established a running game. The biggest question entering the season was whether they could run the football, and they have answered it.

The Jaguars gave up a second- and fifth-round pick for Bates, a first- and second-round pick for Davis, and a sixth-round pick for Gocho. That includes a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick. They have committed significant draft capital to this season.

This approach is unusual in the NFL, where teams generally protect draft picks as part of their future. My view has always been simple: The point of a pick is to get a player, so go get players and try to win. Liam Cohen is going all in, and I am here for it.