The Jacksonville Jaguars will sit newly acquired defensive tackle Jordan Davis and safety Jessie Bates for Sunday’s Week 10 game at the Tennessee Titans, head coach Liam Coen said Friday. Coen cited that neither player has had a bye week with their previous teams and that the Jaguars want to emphasize player safety and give them extra time to learn the playbook. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, another deadline acquisition, is expected to play.
Why the Jaguars are holding them out
Coen told reporters the decision was driven by the fact both Davis and Bates already had full schedules this season and have not had a bye week, while Jacksonville has. The coach said the team wanted to protect player safety and provide an additional week for the two to acclimate to the Jaguars’ system before taking the field.
Jordan Davis Bates: trade details and recent production
Jacksonville acquired Bates from the Atlanta Falcons in a trade that sent a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to Atlanta; Bates is in the final year of his contract and has recorded one interception, three forced fumbles and 60 tackles in nine games this season, according to CBS Sports. The Jaguars acquired Davis from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick; Davis is in the first year of a three-year, $78 million extension and has 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits while playing 52% of the Eagles’ snaps, CBS reported.
Availability and what’s next
Davon Godchaux, who also arrived at the trade deadline and did have a bye, is set to play Sunday. ProFootballTalk reported the Jaguars expect Davis and Bates to make their debuts in Week 11 at the New York Giants, while Jacksonville will hold them out for the Tennessee game to complete their early onboarding and recovery considerations.
Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN, ProFootballTalk