Jaguars Acquire DT Davon Godchaux from Saints to Bolster Defense

The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2028, according to Jordan Schultz.

The trade addresses an immediate roster need for the Jaguars following the loss of DaVon Hamilton, who was placed on the injured reserve list on November 3. Godchaux provides veteran depth at nose tackle, bringing experience from 145 career games and 128 starts since entering the NFL as a fifth-round pick in the 2017 draft, according to Jaguars Wire.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 330 pounds, Godchaux recorded 15 tackles across eight games with the Saints this season before the deal. Tom Pelissero of The Ringer first reported the agreement between the two franchises ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

The draft compensation sent to New Orleans hinges on a specific condition. According to Jordan Schultz, the base asset is a sixth-round selection in the 2028 draft. However, that pick can become a sixth-round selection in 2027 if the Jaguars acquire an extra choice in that round through compensatory picks or another transaction.

Godchaux signed with New Orleans in 2025 and finished last season with 43 total tackles, including two tackles for loss.

The deal for Godchaux was finalized on the same day the Jaguars agreed to acquire safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons, according to Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter. That separate transaction involved Jacksonville sending a second-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round pick in 2028 to Atlanta.

Both trades point to an aggressive push by the Jaguars front office to shore up separate levels of the defense before the league’s trade deadline cutoff.