General manager James Gladstone rejected the notion that the Jacksonville Jaguars are going all-in despite paying a steep price to bolster their defense ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.
"The idea that this is an all-in move isn't necessarily how I characterize it," Gladstone said Tuesday, per team reporter John Oehser. "I characterize it as getting better as a football team and prioritizing getting better as a football team."
The Jaguars spent significant draft capital upgrading their defense, sending 2027 first- and second-round picks, 2028 fifth- and sixth-round selections, and a 2029 second-rounder in trades for safety Jessie Bates and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux.
"This is about team building," Gladstone said. "All three of the players we traded for earlier this week we feel very strongly will mesh with how we move, our style of play, and our culture by just simply leaning into who they are naturally."
Although Gladstone previously worked under Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead from 2016 to 2024, he said he doesn't put much stock in the "eff them picks" mantra associated with his former employer. He added that Jacksonville "actually values picks," even if they aren't always used in the draft.
"I know the idea of 'eff them picks' has kind of taken a hold, and it's a headline; it's really not the approach or the process," Gladstone said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra.
In addition to focusing on defensive improvements, the Jaguars opted to hold on to receiver Brian Thomas Jr., despite reported interest from several teams.
Jacksonville enters its Week 10 matchup against the Tennessee Titans with a 6-2 record and sits atop the AFC South.
