Jaguars GM James Gladstone After Deadline Spree: 'We Value Picks,' Not 'F Them Picks'
Jacksonville's general manager said the three trades for Jessie Bates III, Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis weren't an all-in bet, and that draft capital still matters to him
James Gladstone spent a first-round pick, two second-rounders and more to remake Jacksonville's defense in a single day. Don't call it a "F them picks" approach. Speaking to reporters Tuesday after the trade deadline passed, the Jaguars general manager said he still prizes draft capital and simply chose to use some of it now, as Ari Meirov relayed.
#Jaguars GM James Gladstone says they value draft picks and it’s not “F them picks.” He values the volume of picks, and acquiring compensatory selections is part of that. “We value picks. We don’t always use them on the three days that exist in April.”View on X →
Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate): #Jaguars GM James Gladstone says they value draft picks and it’s not “F them picks.” He values the volume of picks, and acquiring compensatory selections is part of that. “We value picks. We don’t always use them on the three days that exist in April.”
The line is a nod to Gladstone's roots. He came to Jacksonville from the Rams, the franchise whose "F them picks" mantra became shorthand for trading future selections for proven players. Gladstone said volume matters to him, including collecting compensatory selections, and that a pick spent in November is still a pick used. He also pushed back on the idea that Monday's moves were a one-season swing, saying "I characterize it as getting better as a football team" when asked whether this was an all-in move.
The bill was real. Jacksonville acquired safety Jessie Bates III from Atlanta for a 2027 second and a 2028 fifth, added nose tackle Davon Godchaux from New Orleans for a conditional sixth, and then sent Philadelphia a 2027 first and a 2029 second for defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Bates is a pending free agent, but Davis is signed through 2029, which supports Gladstone's case that this wasn't only about 2026.
Gladstone also explained why the Jaguars kept Brian Thomas Jr. despite weeks of calls, saying he sees value in the 2024 first-rounder's role down the stretch.
The new pieces should get their first look Sunday, Nov. 15, when the 6-2 Jaguars, who hold a three-game lead in the AFC South, visit the Titans at 1 p.m. ET.