The Jacksonville Jaguars lead the AFC South by three games. They have the largest point differential (+108) in the NFL. Their Super Bowl window is open -- and now general manager James Gladstone is being proactive to keep it from shutting in January.

The Jaguars were busy on the eve of the 2026 NFL trade deadline. On Monday morning, they added All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons for the pricy cost of second and fifth-round draft picks. On Monday afternoon, they went back to the NFC South and plucked defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints.

The price was modest; a 2028 sixth-round selection that could become a 2027 sixth-rounder should the compensatory pick formula deliver one to Jacksonville next spring.

Will the move pay off for the Jags? Let's take a closer look.

The trade: Jacksonville Jaguars acquire DT Davon Godchaux. New Orleans Saints acquire a 2028 sixth round draft pick that could become a 2027 sixth round draft pick.

Godchaux is a 330-pound defensive tackle with nearly 130 NFL starts to his name as his 32nd birthday approaches (on Wednesday, coincidentally). He offers little in the pass rush; he hasn't had a sack since 2022 and has only three quarterback hits in that span. What he brings is mass and the ability to redirect opponents' run games. In 2024 he had a 13.2 percent run stuff rate in his final season with the New England Patriots.

However, his efficacy waned after he turned 30. That run stuff rate dropped to 9.3 percent in 2025. In 2026 it's 8.7 percent while he plays fewer snaps than ever in his NFL career.

That makes him more of a supplemental piece than a star, and his trade compensation reflects that. That's fine! Jacksonville already has a top-three run defense in terms of expected points added. They have the league's No. 2 scoring defense and allow only 3.7 yards per carry. This is a reinforcement play after losing DaVon Hamilton up front, and it's a sensible one with a veteran who understands his job and executes it well, even if he's fading.

The Saints were able to turn a veteran headed for free agency who'd been phased out of his role into future draft considerations. It's not much -- the incoming pick probably won't crack the top 200 -- but it's something.