JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars on Monday got bold, intentional and very defensive.

That came by first acquiring significant secondary help, then later in the day making equally significant moves on the defensive interior on one of the most high-profile in-season transaction days in the franchise's history.

The Jaguars on Monday morning traded for former Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III – a veteran with a reputation for game-turning plays – and later traded for former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis and former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

"We got better today," Coen said Monday – after the Bates trade became official and before the later trades were announced – as the Jaguars (6-2) prepared to play the Tennessee Titans (1-7) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday.

Details of the moves:

• The Jaguars acquired Davis for a first-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft and a 2029 second-round selection.
• They acquired Bates for a 2027 second-round selection and a 2028 fifth-round selection, with Coen saying the Jaguars traded for Bates because of the "playmaker that he is." Added Coen, "He has so much impact on a game," Coen said.
• They acquired Godchaux for a conditional sixth-round selection.

Davis, 26, the No. 13 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft by Philadelphia, played with the Eagles from 2022-2026. He has 193 career tackles, with 17 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, 11 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

"Jordan's impact on the field can be felt on every down," Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone said in a statement. "This is a well-rounded premier player and person. We're excited to add him to the team."

Bates, 29, a second-round selection by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2018 NFL Draft, played 2018-2022 with the Bengals and the past four seasons with the Falcons. He has 869 career tackles (one for loss), 74 passes defensed, 28 interceptions, 14 forced fumbles, six quarterback hits, four touchdowns, four fumble recoveries and a sack.

"Jessie has been a proven playmaker on the defensive side of the ball for the last eight-plus seasons," Gladstone said in a statement. "His skill set complements our style of play and the person he is aligns with our culture. We look forward to integrating Jessie into our team as we prepare for the back half of the season."

Godchaux, 31, a fifth-round selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 2017 NFL Draft, played 2017-2020 with the Dolphins, 2021-2024 with the New England Patriots and 2025-2026 with the Saints. He has 27 career quarterback hits, 23 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

"We feel strongly about Davon and what he can bring to the team both on and off the field," Gladstone said in a statement. "Much like Jessie, he has been a productive player in this league for a number of years and provides stability up front to further solidify our defensive line."

The Jaguars last week placed defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton on injured reserve and now have six healthy defensive tackles on the roster: Davis, Godchaux, rookie Albert Regis, Arik Armstead, Matt Dickerson and Ruke Orhorhoro.

The Jaguars placed starting safety Eric Murray on injured reserve last week and now have five healthy safeties in the roster: Antonio Johnson, Bates, Rayuan Lane III, rookie Jalen Huskey and Kaevon Merriweather. Second-year veteran Caleb Ransaw also is on injured reserve, with Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig on the practice squad.

"Those guys have filled in really nicely for us," Coen said of the safety position. "We've played some darned good football in a lot of ways, and there are so many instances and areas in which we need to improve. There's so much football left to play.

"We have an eager group that wants to continue to improve, that wants to chase and pursue greatness. Adding a guy like Jessie only helps that pursuit and that challenge."

Coen called Bates, a second-team All-Pro selection in 2020, 2023 and 2025, "arguably a Top 5 player at his position" who can "continue to help us evolve and ascend." He lauded Bates' instincts, awareness, route recognition, sure tackling and "ability to see things before they happen."

"That was a lot what went into it," Coen said, adding, "We want to continue to get players who can impact the game, get their hands on the ball, turn it over, who are sound in the run game. When guys are constantly creating ball disruption, usually the ball's moving fairly slow for them in a lot of ways.

"That's something he has put on display the last few years. He sees [the game] pretty clean."

Since entering the NFL, Bates leads NFL safeties in passes defensed and forced fumbles. He is tied for first in interceptions returned for touchdowns in the span, second in tackles and tied second in interceptions among safeties.

Bates, who has 60 tackles and one interception this season, had 14 tackles in the Falcons' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain, this past Sunday. Coen called Bates' process of learning the Jaguars' defense in time for Sunday's game against Tennessee "definitely a curve."

"He's pretty intelligent and will be able to understand a lot of that," Coen said. "It's more the checks and balances in between plays, the communication … our verbiage. We'll take it one day at a time and see what happens."

Coen also discussed Bates as a "human being and a competitor," comparing the trade to the one that brought wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to the Jaguars last November. Coen said he received many messages Monday from people around the NFL who have worked with Bates.

"It will be a really good fit in the locker room, culturally," Coen said. "Any time you add a veteran player who has been a captain, who has been a leader, that's helpful. All I've heard is he makes people around him better and will be an immediate high-football-character-type guy.

"That's what made it very appealing."