Jordan Davis 'tried not to cry' as he left Philly for 'a new city to embrace' in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jordan Davis was headed to the Philadelphia airport Monday when he “had a moment.”

He played Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” on his phone and “tried not to cry” as he embarked on the next phase of his NFL career, with the Jacksonville Jaguars . He said the song encompassed his 4 ½ years with the Eagles.

“The time that I spent in Philly, I have grown so much from that, and I became a better player because of it, became a better man because of it,” Davis said Wednesday. “I would never sit there and turn my back on Philly. I don’t have any hate. I don’t have any bad blood.

“It’s just the business of it all. It’s just the nature of the beast. I’m grateful for the time, but right now, have another mission. I have another city. I have a new city to embrace.”

Davis was the most significant of three defenders the Jaguars (6-2) added a day before the NFL trade deadline . Jacksonville also traded for Atlanta safety Jessie Bates III and New Orleans nose tackle Davon Godchaux.

Jacksonville swapped a first-round pick in 2027 and a second-rounder in 2029 to acquire Davis and what remains on the three-year, $78 million contract extension he signed with Philadelphia in March.

The Jaguars gave up two premium picks to land Davis. Not only do they believe he can help them win now and potentially reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, but Jacksonville had just two interior defensive linemen -- Ruke Orhorhoro and rookie Albert Regis -- under contract for 2027.

They were facing a scenario in which they likely would have used their first-round draft pick next year on a defensive tackle anyway. So they essentially tossed in a second-round pick to jump other teams wanting to trade for Davis and get a proven player instead of gambling on an unknown commodity coming out of college in April.

General manager James Gladstone said interior defensive linemen typically reach their prime closer to 30. Davis is 26.

“It’s a position that ages well,” Gladstone said. “Certainly look forward to seeing him integrate here in the early going while at the same time knowing that it’s going to be a longer-term decision that we made with him.”

Davis reunites with college teammate Travon Walker in Jacksonville — they have side-by-side lockers — and hopes to lean on their friendship to help him learn the defense in time to be effective at Tennessee (1-7) on Sunday.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile worked under current Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in Miami in 2023, so Davis discovered a lot of scheme carryover in his first two days in Jacksonville.

He also quickly realized how much size the Jaguars have up front, a starting unit that adds the 6-foot-6, 336-pound Davis to a unit that includes 6-foot-7, 290-pound defensive tackle Arik Armstead, 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive end Josh Hines-Allen and 6-foot-5, 272-pound Walker.

“Big guys get it done,” Davis said.

Jacksonville’s defense already ranked second in the league giving up an average of 15.1 points a game, and fifth in the NFL against the run before adding Davis, Bates and Godchaux.

Coach Liam Coen warned his team Monday that trades were coming — the Jaguars played Baltimore last Thursday with a 51-man roster, essentially holding two spots open — and said the locker room welcomed the moves.

“Let’s go. At the end of the day, trusting each other to do what’s best for the organization,” Coen said. “The locker room sees our general manager saying, ‘This is about winning. It’s about winning games right now.’ Not, ‘OK, I need to get all these picks for me and for our group to do all that.’ I think it’s a pretty cool message, and I think the players received it loud and clear.”

The trio has a combined 17 games of playoff experience, with Davis leading the way with nine. Bates played in a Super Bowl, and Davis won it all with the Eagles following the 2024 season.

“It takes a lot to go to the Super Bowl, and it takes a lot to win the Super Bowl,” Davis said. “I know everybody likes to look to the end goal, but you can’t see the end if you don’t see where your feet are right now.”

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