3 Biggest Questions Facing the Jaguars After Trade Deadline Fallout: Is the Pass-Rush Enough?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars got better over the trade deadline. In their estimation, they got a lot better.

But even after the Jaguars added some big pieces in the form of Jordan Davis, Jessie Bates III, and Davon Godchaux, there are still questions facing the team as they make their playoff run down the stretch of 2026.

So, what are the biggest questions facing the Jaguars after James Gladstone's trade deadline fireworks? We break it down below.

Is the Jaguars' pass-rush good enough?

The Jaguars had three big needs entering the trade deadline: adding help at defensive tackle, safety, and defensive end. The Jaguars certainly checked two of those boxes, with the additions of Davis, Godchaux and Bates expected to make a significant impact right out of the gate. But while the Jaguars did improve their run defense and play-making ability in the secondary, the Jaguars made no moves at defensive end, aside from opening the practice window for second-year defensive end BJ Green off injured reserve.

Jacksonville could see more of a pass-rush upside in Davis than he saw in Philadelphia, where he recorded 9.5 sacks in over 70 games. Davis played in a similar scheme with the Eagles than he will with the Jaguars, so this seems like more of a bet in traits than past production. The Jaguars have been able to generate pressure at a consistent rate all year without a true interior pass-rusher, largely due to their pressure packages and extra blitzers, but there could be a question as to whether the Jaguars' four-man pass-rush is good enough once January comes around.

The Jaguars reportedly were interested in Jets pass-rusher Will McDonald IV, which could imply that they are aware of this need as well. Despite not a ton of sack production over two years, though, the Jaguars have still had a top-rated defense and have won far more often than they have lost. Perhaps that continues now.

What does Jessie Bates addition mean for Antonio Johnson beyond 2026?

The addition of Bates to the back end of the Jaguars' defense will obviously have a lasting impact on the room, with the future looking murky in terms of Eric Murray returning next season. Caleb Ransaw and Jalen Huskey are third-round picks who have not played all that much, which means the future of the safety room right now has to center around Bates and Antonio Johnson. The issue, of course, is that both safeties are in contract years, and the Jaguars now may have to determine which one they bring back.

Perhaps the Jaguars are able to keep both safeties, but you do not see teams drop big deals for multiple safeties in one offseason all that often. The Jaguars could also let one walk and hope to get a compensatory pick back in return after free-agency and then hope that Ransaw, Huskey, or Rayuan Lane are ready to step into the second safety spot.

It is a tough question to weigh. The Jaguars gave up a big trade package to land Bates, who is a ready-made All-Pro safety and is one of the best in the NFL. Letting him walk would seem misguided. On the other hand, Johnson is one of the best young players on one of the NFL's oldest defenses, and he has developed each year under this regime. This could be a tough balance.

Can the Jaguars make good on their BTJ decision?

The Jaguars opted not to trade Brian Thomas Jr. at the trade deadline, which makes sense considering the Jaguars are in a position to add talent to the roster, not take it away. But the onus is now on the Jaguars to prove that they made the right decision to not use Thomas and his decreasing role on offense as a way to recoup some of the draft picks they dealt over the trade deadline period. Thomas is a real-deal talent, but the Jaguars took a risk by opting to keep him for the rest of the 2026 season.

When it comes to that risk, the Jaguars are also largely the ones who can make it pay off or not. Thomas will have to be at his best when the ball comes his way, which has not always been the case over the last two seasons, but the Jaguars also have to give him chances to make an impact. He hasn't had many of those chances this season, and now the Jaguars must make good on their decision to keep him by increasing those opportunities.

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