Why the Jaguars' Week 8 Colts Matchup Could Define Their NFL Trade Deadline Plans

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have more than just AFC South questions to answer when they take the field in Week 8.

The only focus for the Jaguars on the field against the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium on Sunday will be finding a way to get the team's first AFC South win of the season under their belt. Sitting at 4-2 and against a 2-5 Colts team, a win on Sunday would go a long way for the Jaguars when it comes to their push for another AFC South title.

But off the field, the trade deadline is nearly here and there are quite a few positions of need for the Jaguars, starting with the defensive line in the wake of recent AFC South blockbusters. So, why could Week 8's battle with the Colts impact Jacksonville's trade plans on Nov. 10? We break it down below.

nfl — Oct 18, 2026; London, ENG; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone before the game against the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Pass-Rush Perspective

One way the Jaguars' trade deadline plans could be impacted Sunday is by the performance of their defensive line against the Colts and Daniel Jones in passing situations. The Colts' offense is built to lean on Jonathan Taylor and the running game, but it remains to be seen if he is active and has a large role during trade talks. And if he is, the Colts could still get forced into a pass-happy game depending on how the Jaguars' offense plays early on.

If this happens, the Colts will be put into more passing situations than they would likely want with injuries at wide receiver and a rookie now in at left guard after the trade of Quenton Nelson. The Colts have allowed the second-highest pressure rate and 12th-highest sack rate in the NFL early in the season, while Jones has been prone to forcing bad decisions and turnovers when under pressure.

The Colts average just 2.9 yards per pass when under pressure this season according to NextGenStats. So they are prone to sacks, turnovers, and do not get many big plays off when pressured. That should be a get-right game for the defensive line, and if it isn't then the Jaguars could have some real issues.

Simply put, if the Jaguars struggle to impact Jones with their pass-rush on Sunday then they will have to raise the urgency to add a pass-rusher at the deadline. Regardless of whether it is edge help or interior defensive line reinforcements, this game and matchup should tell the Jaguars how badly they need to add some help.

The Brian Thomas Jr. Question

This one is interesting. One of the biggest questions of the week is whether Brian Thomas Jr. will have a large role on offense after playing zero snaps in the second-half against the Houston Texans in Week 6 in London. He has dealt with drop issues all season, the Jaguars really like both Josh Cameron and tight end Nate Boerkircher in multi-tight end sets, and Travis Hunter is coming off his second-best game ever as a wide receiver.

Still, Jakobi Meyers is questionable with an ankle/hamstring designation and did not practice Friday. If the Jaguars keep Meyers out or limit his role, would they then have the confidence in Thomas to go back to him as a key part of their offense? He has had a ton of success against the Colts in his career, even making big plays against them during their struggles a year ago.

What would a Thomas showcase against the Colts mean? Would it convince the Jaguars to continue to keep Thomas off the trade market like they have over the last year, or would it force receiver-needy teams to ante up ahead of Nov. 10? There are a number of outcomes that could come from a strong Thomas performance, making this a situation to watch.

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